OPINION
West Brom are reportedly close to signing free agent Bakary Sako after the former Wolves and Crystal Palace winger underwent a medical with the Black Country club this week – and that could spell the end of Oliver Burke’s time at The Hawthorns.
Freelance journalist Tim Nash claimed on his personal Twitter account on Thursday that Sako, 30, is on the verge of signing for West Brom after rejecting a new deal with Crystal Palace at the end of last season.
Ex- @Wolves winger @sakobakary26 looks set to be announced as @WBA's latest signing. Sako, 30, underwent a medical at Albion earlier this week. A free agent, he turned down a new deal at @CPFC after his contract ended there this summer and has moved back to the West Midlands.
— Tim Nash (@TimNash_1) September 20, 2018
Darren Moore has already used free agents to add to his squad this season by snapping up Tyrone Mears and Wes Hoolahan on short-term deals, and it sure looks as though Sako is going to be offered a similar contract by the Baggies.
While it is all well and good adding a proven Championship player to the squad without parting with any cash, this news will surely raise more questions about the future of Oliver Burke.
The 21-year-old Scotland international was signed by Tony Pulis from RB Leipzig last summer, but has only made six starts across all competitions since then, with most of them coming in cup competitions.
According to the Guardian, the former Nottingham Forest attacker cost Albion £15million, but they have barely had any return from that fee with him scoring just one goal – which came against League One Luton last month – in 19 total outings.
Statisitcs website Spotrac also reports that Burke is on £30,000-a-week at The Hawthorns which is quite a hefty sum for a fringe player at a Championship club.
With Burke getting next to no game time and Moore signing a new winger in Sako, who can play on both flanks, you have to say that the future is looking bleak for the Scot and his time with the club could well be up in January.