Pundit shares behind-scenes West Brom claim, tips board and Bruce set for sit down talks

It’s ‘vitally important’ that West Bromwich Albion get their recruitment right in the summer transfer window, according to pundit Carlton Palmer.

The Baggies were one of the favourites to win promotion to the Premier League at the start of the campaign, but with just nine games to go, that prospect is now looking unlikely.

West Brom were relegated back to the Championship last term after a single season in the top-flight and hired former Barnsley boss Valérien Ismaël to guide them back to the big time.

However, the French tactician was relieved of his duties back in February following two consecutive defeats, leaving the Midlands outfit in fifth place, eight points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

Ismael won just 12 of his 31 matches in charge and the Albion board felt the poor run of results was unacceptable for a club with their ambitions and turned to Steve Bruce instead.

The experienced campaigner has four promotions from the second-tier on his CV, two with Birmingham City and two with Hull City, yet life under his tutelage got off to an extremely slow start.

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In his opening five games at the helm, Bruce’s charges picked up just one point, scoring a single goal and falling to four defeats.

That run all but ended their hopes of finishing in the top two, and although they’ve turned things around in recent weeks, securing two wins and a draw from their last three outings, the focus may have already turned to next season.

West Brom are currently sitting in 12th position, six points outside of the play-offs with nine games to go, and Palmer believes the club’s hierarchy will already be discussing their plans for