West Brom join the race in Burnley target

West Brom are “keeping tabs” on the possibility of a move for Ben Brereton Diaz ahead of the January transfer window, according to TEAMtalk.

The online outlet reported via their website on 6 November that the Baggies are one of a number of teams hoping to take advantage as Villarreal are willing to sanction a loan move for the Chile international midseason.

Premier League duo Crystal Palace and Burnley are reportedly on “red alert” over the availability of the 24-year-old, with the Albion and fellow Championship rivals Southampton and Leicester City also interested.

The former Blackburn Rovers man was highly sought-after during a “prolific” spell at Ewood Park, with 14 Championship goals last season and 22 the campaign before.

But his move to La Liga hasn’t followed suit and he has gone goalless in 10 appearances across all competitions.

There was no shortage of interest from within the upper echelons of the Championship and the lower reaches of the Premier League in Brereton Diaz last term.

When he eventually signed with Villarreal on a four-year deal after a free transfer it seemed a slightly surprising move, but most would have still expected him to make a success of it in Spain all the same.

Clearly he has found the going harder than anticipated so, while the attraction of Premier League options is obviously going to be hard to ignore, he may prefer to head back to a division he knows he can thrive in to regain his previous form.

Runaway league leaders Leicester appear to be in a league of their own at the moment, notwithstanding their defeat at home to Leeds United last Friday (3 November), but West Brom and Southampton are just a point and a place apart in fourth and third respectively.

There is firepower to come back for Carlos Corberan but, for now at least, there are greater opportunities on offer at The Hawthorns than at most of the top clubs in the Championship thanks to injuries.

Daryl Dike’s cursed luck has kept him out all season so far and while there are still high hopes for him it is starting to become less of an expectation in light of the problems he’s had since arriving from Orlando City.

Josh Maja has been out for over a month and has so far proven to be a non-factor since his free transfer arrival, so while Brandon Thomas-Asante and Grady Diangana have been in solid form lately there is a valid argument that West Brom, well-placed for a play-off spot, might be Brereton Diaz’s best option if it comes to it.