It has been a summer of major change at West Bromwich Albion, with new head coach Ryan Mason overseeing the departure of ten players and the arrival of nine new signings.
There is a sense of a new era at The Hawthorns as owner Shilen Patel and Bilkul look to further implement their transfer model and establish long-term success at a club once considered a Premier League mainstay.
The club had begun to feel stale following the second-half collapse of last season under Tony Mowbray, with many fans eager to see fresh faces arrive and the back of many of the old guard.
Long-standing servants Darnell Furlong, Grady Diangana, Semi Ajayi, and Kyle Bartley parted ways with West Bromwich Albion after spending at least five seasons each in the West Midlands. John Swift departed for Portsmouth upon the expiration of his contract, while Devante Cole and Gianluca Frabotta mutually agreed to terminate theirs.
Star players Torbjorn Heggem and Tom Fellows were sold for significant fees, funding the majority of Albion’s incomings this summer. Here is a rating of every single one of them.
Rating West Bromwich Albion Transfers
George Campbell – 8/10
The U.S. international joined West Bromwich Albion on a four-year contract from Montreal for a fee of £1.5 million, with the Baggies beating off competition from Championship rivals Stoke to secure the 24-year-old’s signature.
So far, he has proven to be a success. Campbell has quickly adapted to English football and has started the last four games under Ryan Mason. It is impressive for a young player to settle so quickly into a completely new environment with a distinctly different footballing ideology, although there is still plenty of room for learning and improvement.
The defender faced a tough challenge against Wrexham’s Kieffer Moore, making a couple of unforced errors in the presence of the Welsh international striker.
However, the American showed his versatility by deputising for departed vice-captain Darnell Furlong in the victory over Stoke, the final game before the international break. He excelled at right-back that day and even forced in-form opposition winger Sorba Thomas to switch flanks, such was his outstanding defensive display.
Samuel Iling-Junior – 7/10
The England Under-21 international joined the club on a season-long loan from West Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
His move came on deadline day, despite interest throughout the summer, following the departure of star boy Tom Fellows to Southampton for a reported £10 million. That sale left Mason with just one recognised right-winger in club captain Jed Wallace, whose game time has been limited in recent seasons.
The versatile winger was brought in as a wide attacking option, with the ability to play on either flank as well as at left-back, as shown during his loan spell at Middlesbrough in the second half of last season.
It is clear that the 21-year-old is talented — moving to Juventus from Chelsea’s academy in the summer of 2021, and making 45 senior appearances for the Italian giants is no small feat.
A loan move to Bologna at the start of the 2024/25 campaign — a club in which Shilen Patel holds a minority share — saw Iling-Junior score a winner in a Champions League tie against Borussia Dortmund. That goal, drifting in from the right flank, is the kind of moment Albion fans will hope he can replicate in the blue and white stripes.
Nat Phillips – 9/10
The 28-year-old penned a three-year contract at West Bromwich Albion to become Albion’s first signing of the summer, joining from Premier League winners Liverpool.
The 6ft 3in centre-back arrived in a deal initially worth £1 million, potentially rising to £3 million with add-ons.
The move ended Phillips’ nine years at the Merseyside club, where he spent time on loan at Derby, Cardiff, Celtic, Bournemouth and Stuttgart. Despite limited opportunities at Liverpool, he proved a vital figure during the Covid-hit 2020/21 season, helping Klopp’s side secure Champions League qualification during a challenging campaign.
Already, the centre-back has endeared himself to the fans with heroic performances at the heart of the backline. Phillips has won the Player of the Match award twice so far, both in gritty 1-0 victories against Blackburn and Stoke — the latter seeing him score the winner, his first goal for the club.
The leadership qualities shown by Phillips have prompted calls for him to be named captain, and it is clear he will continue to be a pivotal figure for Ryan Mason this season at his new permanent home.
Chris Mepham – 10/10
One of the signings of the summer in the Championship, Mepham joined West Bromwich Albion on a three-year contract from Bournemouth.
The 27-year-old cost just £1 million — an incredible fee given his 61 Premier League appearances and two Championship promotions with Bournemouth and Sunderland.
The Welsh international, who earned his 50th cap in a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win against Kazakhstan this week, went straight into the starting XI against Stoke, despite joining only two days earlier, and showed his class from the outset.
He is a major coup for the Baggies and perhaps quite a surprising one, given that he has the ability and experience to play for a lower-table Premier League side or a promotion-chasing Championship club.
Either way, Albion’s recruitment team have managed to replace the departed Torbjorn Heggem for a tenth of the price — arguably with a superior player.
Aune Heggebo – 8/10
The Norwegian striker was a relatively unknown quantity when he signed for £4.7 million from SK Brann in Norway.
Nicknamed “The Hulk” in his homeland, he arrived with the weight of expectation on his shoulders as he became the club’s most expensive signing since Daryl Dike in the January transfer window of 2021/22.
Despite not scoring a league goal so far, the 23-year-old has earned the respect and admiration of the fans thanks to his unmatched work rate and physicality when leading the line.
The forward offers a valuable alternative for Mason’s side, as West Bromwich Albion are able to go route one and rely on him to hold up the ball, allowing the rest of the team to progress up the pitch and gain territory. This approach was utilised against Wrexham, when WBA scored within three passes from the goalkeeper.
He was rewarded with an international call-up for Norway’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers, linking up with the likes of Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard.
Although he may struggle to replicate the goalscoring feats of Josh Maja last season, he already looks to be a promising investment from head of recruitment Andrew Nestor and his team.
Alfie Gilchrist – 7/10
The Englishman joined the club after spending more than a decade at Premier League side Chelsea, making 17 senior appearances for the Blues.
The 21-year-old signed a four-year contract at The Hawthorns in a deal worth £1.2 million.
He spent last season on loan at Sheffield United, helping the Blades reach the play-off final, where they ultimately lost to Sunderland.
Gilchrist could prove to be quite the steal for Mason and his men. He replaces the outgoing Darnell Furlong, who is eight years older, and brings the ability to play at both right-back and centre-back.
Many were surprised to see Chelsea sanction a permanent deal for such a talented youngster.
In a 2023 interview, Chelsea legend John Terry heaped praise on the versatile defender and said: “Alfie Gilchrist, he’s a really, really good player. He’s got an unbelievable attitude.”
While he remains a promising prospect, questions will remain over whether he can immediately slot into Ryan Mason’s side and make the right-back spot his own.
Charlie Taylor – 6/10
West Bromwich Albion completed the season-long loan signing of Charlie Taylor on deadline day.
The 31-year-old had featured just eight times in the league for Southampton since his move to St. Mary’s in the summer of 2024.
Taylor had previously spent seven seasons at Burnley, racking up 169 Premier League appearances and even featuring in the Europa League qualifying stages.
While the signing may not have excited fans as much as other deals completed in the window, it represents a savvy move from the club to bring in an experienced leader who can provide competition at left-back — an area of weakness since the termination of Gianluca Frabotta’s contract.
Callum Styles made that spot his own last season, but there have been calls for the Hungarian international to showcase his ability in midfield, as he did in his nation’s World Cup qualifying draw against the Republic of Ireland, where he grabbed an assist.
Taylor will be a valuable, reliable asset as the campaign wears on as injuries or suspensions disrupt Mason’s plans.
Toby Collyer – 8/10
The announcement of Toby Collyer’s arrival was one to excite West Bromwich Albion fans.
The 21-year-old signed on a season-long loan from Manchester United, having made 13 first-team appearances for the Red Devils in the 2024/25 campaign.
United are well known for producing talented youngsters through their academy, and West Brom fought off interest from close to a dozen Championship clubs to land their man.
Collyer, capped by England at youth level, is an ideal central midfielder who combines excellent passing and progressive play with athleticism.
Baggies boss Ryan Mason spoke highly of the midfielder and said: “I’ve wanted Toby for a few weeks now; he’s someone that I really believe in.
I think there’s loads of room and loads of growth to develop. He’s a good kid, humble, wants to work, wants to be part of it.”
Although Alex Mowatt and Jayson Molumby have maintained their midfield partnership at the start of this campaign, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Collyer pushing for regular starts.
He is certainly one to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
Krystian Bielik – 7/10
West Brom completed the signing of Birmingham City’s club captain Krystian Bielik in a deal worth around £1 million.
The 27-year-old penned a three-year contract at the West Midlands club, making the move from their rivals after helping them achieve a record-breaking points tally in League One the previous season.
It was a clever piece of business from Albion to prise away an experienced defender, with 129 Championship appearances to his name, to further strengthen their centre-back ranks.
The Poland international also has the ability to play in midfield and joins a host of players entering their peak years at the Baggies.
However, there will be concerns over Bielik’s injury record, having previously suffered two devastating setbacks: a cruciate ligament tear and a lateral knee ligament rupture during his time at Derby.
Although he faces the challenge of breaking into the starting XI, he will undoubtedly add much-needed experience and quality to the squad.
