George Campbell became West Bromwich Albion’s third signing of the summer when he put pen to paper on a four-year contract at The Hawthorns.
The Baggies fended off interest from Championship rivals Stoke City to secure the 24-year-old’s signature in a £1.5 million deal.
The versatile defender can play at both centre-back and right-back, and was even used by manager Ryan Mason at left-back during pre-season.
West Brom’s Carabao Cup fixture on Tuesday night against Derby County is expected to mark Campbell’s full debut for the club.
The US international has crossed the Atlantic from Montreal to further his career in English football — but how exactly has he arrived in the West Midlands?
Upbringing And Early Career
George Campbell was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, on June 22, 2001, and is the youngest of seven children in a sports-mad family.
Football in America is not traditionally the sport of choice for athletes, although it has seen significant growth over the past decade. George grew up playing both football and basketball, spending his childhood competing against older siblings and family members.
After his family relocated to Atlanta, George joined MLS side Atlanta United from his local club, Georgia United. However, his career path was not the typical route taken by American athletes looking to excel in football.
The college route is often considered the most common and successful pathway for young athletes — as seen in the career of fellow American, and now team-mate, Daryl Dike, who enjoyed two seasons at the University of Virginia before joining Orlando City in the 2020 National Soccer Draft.
George Campbell initially played as a central midfielder for Atlanta United 2, but circumstances led to him being converted into a centre-back — a position he later admitted was more gratifying, as it allowed him to “look for the space and look for the forward pass earlier.”
In 2019, he signed a homegrown player deal, taking the next step in his career, and made his first-team debut for Atlanta United in March 2020. His maiden goal came in a 3–0 win over Orlando City — a side that featured current Albion forward Daryl Dike.
Montreal Movements And International Delight
George Campbell made 38 appearances for Atlanta United’s senior team before switching to Canadian outfit CF Montréal.
He went on to make 70 league appearances for Montréal, helping the club reach the MLS Playoffs in his first season in 2023.
His performances soon caught the eye of the US national team. In January 2025, he made his full international debut in a 3-1 friendly victory over Venezuela — a moment he described as ‘special’ for both him and his family.
Coincidentally, the current US coach is former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino — a man Ryan Mason knows extremely well from his playing days at Tottenham.
Campbell will now have his sights set on the 2026 World Cup, hosted in America, Canada, and Mexico, and will be hoping that fellow Baggie Daryl Dike can join him in making Pochettino’s final 23- or 26-man squad.
Due to the nature of the American football season, Campbell arrives at The Hawthorns with 16 MLS matches already under his belt — the last of which saw him face global icons Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez of Inter Miami.
Future As A Baggie
Campbell will be looking to make inroads into Ryan Mason’s starting XI as the season progresses.
The defender prides himself on his bravery on the ball and has been described as ‘a strong player, good on the ball, conditioned to play out as a centre-back.’
The consensus from the US media is that he will need time to adapt to the pace of the Championship, but there is no doubt he has both talent and room to improve.
Fitness will not be an issue given his mid-season departure from Montréal — but competition at centre-back will be.
Nat Phillips was awarded Player of the Match on his league debut against Blackburn last weekend, while Torbjørn Heggem is regarded as one of the club’s most valuable assets. However, a potential move to Bologna for the Norwegian could give Campbell the opportunity to impress and establish himself in the role.
In the immediate future, the American’s full debut is set to come in tomorrow night’s home Carabao Cup tie against Derby. It is expected that the versatile defender will deputise at right-back to cover for the suspended Darnell Furlong, who was sent off for two yellow cards in the season opener against Blackburn and will serve a one-match ban.
