OPINION
Darren Moore must give serious though to terminating Jack Fitzwater’s loan deal in January with the centre-back currently in superb form with Walsall.
Fitzwater, 21, joined the League One club on a season-long loan deal in the summer and has since made 22 appearances across all competitions.
He has missed a lot of fixtures recently due to injury, and in his seven games on the sidelines, the Saddlers won just once, which proves how crucial he has been at the Bescot this season.
West Brom have a shortage of centre-backs of their own.
Kyle Bartley has been in terrible form since signing from Swansea in the summer, but he has been absent since October 27 with an injury, leaving Craig Dawson, Ahmed Hegazi and Tosin Adarabioyo as Moore’s only centre-backs.
Adarabioyo has been used a right-back lately due to a change in system, so there is definitely the need for reinforcements at centre-back in January.
Luckily, Fitzwater has confirmed that West Brom have the option to terminate his loan deal in January.
“My loan is through until the end of the season,” Fitzwater said, as quoted by the Express & Star. “There is a call-back in January, whether Albion will take that up , I’m not sure.
“But I’m enjoying my time here. I am loving it.
“I just want to keep playing games. I’m at the age now where it’s vital I get that experience.
“The decision is out of my hands. It’s Albion’s decision.”
It would make a lot of sense to tear up Fitzwater’s deal at Walsall.
Dawson and Hegazi are good enough to be able to start, so West Brom basically just need an extra back-up option to them, which Fitzwater could be.
This could potentially save club owner Guochuan Lai millions as the Daily Mail has previously reported that West Brom want to sign a new defender when the transfer window re-opens next month.
Fitzwatwer may be enjoying his time at Walsall, but he has proved that he can be a reliable back-up option for the Baggies, and if they find themselves short at centre-back after January and the 21-year-old is still at Bescot, then Moore will be seriously regretting not recalling him.