The West Brom squad’s contract lengths, with some decisions needed on players whose contracts expire next summer.

The West Brom squad’s contract lengths, with some decisions needed on players whose contracts expire next summer.

The contracts of professional footballers are frequently discussed. The power pendulum between the club and the player can frequently swing one way or the other depending on where the latter is in their contract. Three or more years left on a contract guarantees security not only for the player, but also for the club – especially if the player is an asset.

On the other hand, large contracts might make it difficult to replace a player who is no longer in the manager’s plans. Anything less, and there will be an unsettled period. Has the player merited the new terms offered? Do they want to move on? In the case of the latter, it frequently means that they can either run out their contract and depart for nothing, or force their employers to sell up early.

West Bromwich Albion have started work ahead of this important summer by deciding on the fate of a number of players in their team. Seniors such as Jake Livermore, Tom Rogic, and Kean

Here are the contract statuses of every player in the squad, including those heading into the final year of their deals who will need Carlos Corberan’s attention in the coming months.

Summer 2024
Alex Mowatt, Rayhaan Tulloch (on loan at Bradford), Cedric Kipre,Matt Phillips,Ethan Ingram (on loan at Salford), Jovan Malcolm (on loan at Cheltenham), Tom Fellows, Adam Reach, Martin Kelly, Kyle Bartley, Nathaniel Chalobah, Reyes Cleary, Ted Cann, Josh Shaw, Reece Hall, Jamie Andrews (on loan at Grimsby), Brad Foster, Aaron Harper-Bailey, Layton Love, Narel Phillips, Fenton Heard, Ruben Shakpoke

A sizeable chunk of the squad are moving into the year of their contracts. Alex Mowatt and Adam Reach are both two thirds of the way into three-year deals they signed summer 2021, though the former has spent his second season out on loan. Matt Phillips extended his stay to 2024 at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, while the reintegrated Cedric Kipre – leant to Cardiff last year – is now three quarters of the way through his four-year contract signed upon arrival in 2020.

Tom Fellows has been off out getting some EFL experience but involved upon his return, while Martin Kelly, who joined in the summer, suffered a devastating season-ending injury while out at Wigan. He is still recovering. Ethan Ingram tasted first-team football at the beginning of last season and is out on loan now, while Kyle Bartley triggered a further year in his contract.

Nathaniel Chalobah, upon arriving in January, agreed an 18-month contract. A host of youngsters this summer have signed one-year deals – Jamie Andrews, Aaron-Harper Bailey, Ted Cann, Brad Foster, Layton Love, Narel Phillips and Fenton Heard all have a further season to impress. Ruben Shakpoke signed a one-year contract with Albion in the summer on a free.

Summer 2025
Grady Diangana,Josh Griffiths, Darnell Furlong, Conor Townsend,Semi Ajayi, Jayson Molumby, John Swift,Zac Ashworth (on loan at Bolton),Caleb Taylor, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Okay Yokuslu, Harry Whitwell, Matt Richards, Ronnie Hollingshead, Alex Williams, Eseosa Sule, Akeel Higgins, Mo Faal (on loan at Doncaster)

Grady Diangana is tied to the club until 2025 as things stand, while full backs Conor Townsend and Darnell Furlong both have a little under two remaining years.

Josh Griffiths’ potential excites Albion – he impressed in the first team after three separate loan spells away. Semi Ajayi extended his contract in summer 2022 but he has struggled to regain his place in the first XI until the run-in following injury, while Jayson Molumby made his loan switch a permanent one and has by contrast been a key member of the starting line-up.

John Swift was the first new face into the club last summer, following Molumby in as one of Albion’s permanent acquisitions. He signed a three-year deal on a free transfer having left Reading. Fellow summer arrivals Okay Yokuslu and Brandon Thomas-Asante also penned three-year agreements upon arrival and also have two of those respective years remaining.

Summer 2026
Karlan Grant (on loan at Cardiff), Taylor Gardner-Hickman (on loan at Bristol City), Daryl Dike, Alex Palmer, Jed Wallace, Josh Maja

Grant, Albion’s top scorer in 2021-22, is now halfway through his six-year contract but has been loaned out to Cardiff City. Alex Palmer, who ended the season as the club’s outright number one after a number of loan deals in recent years, also committed his future to The Hawthorns in the summer of 2022 but there remains interest too in him.

Taylor Gardner-Hickman’s breakthrough into the Albion first team last season was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise drab season in 21-22, but he has been loaned out, while Daryl Dike arrived shortly after and signed a deal of the same length – he is expected to miss the rest of 2023 due to injury.

Jed Wallace’s stint at The Hawthorns started well – he’s now the club captain – and he negotiated a four-year contract upon arriving on a free, while Josh Maja is the club’s newest, permanent, face, having signed a three-year deal this summer.

Summer 2024 (loans)

Jeremy Sarmiento (Brighton), Pipa (Ludogorets)

Albion began their transfer business for the 2023 summer by borrowing Jeremy Sarmiento for the coming season, from Premier League Brighton and they concluded it with the deadline day signature of full-back Pipa, loaned from Ludogorets.