OPINION
West Brom fans were hit with the news they’d been dreading all January, as Leicester recalled attacker Harvey Barnes from his loan spell at the Hawthorns.
January is a time when fans want their teams to strengthen, and with West Brom pushing for an automatic promotion spot, the last thing they needed was to lose one of their best players so far this season.
However, it’s happened and while fans are distraught, they’ve already moved on to his possible replacements.
And one name that keeps cropping up is Blackburn’s Bradley Dack. The 25-year-old attacking midfielder has been doing bits for Blackburn this season, with 10 goals in 23 league games and 13 in 25 across all competitions. They’re even better stats than Barnes at a lower quality side.
Could they land him? It will be tough. Dack is under contract until 2021 and Blackburn won’t want to lose him.
They’ll know they’re sitting on a very valuable asset and Dack himself is probably eying the Premier League.
Many West Brom fans have acknowledged this but still want their club to try and sign him, with one saying they will be “comfortably mid-table without him”.
West Brom do have money and this could be Dack’s quickest route to the English top-flight. He’s not attracting attention from any of the Premier League bog boys yet and Blackburn are struggling in 15th place in the Championship.
He’s definitely the man that many West Brom fans want – here are the best reactions from unhappy fans:
What our board need to do is invest. We would all love to see us sign someone like Dack, who would probably guarantee promotion. However I don’t think we have any chance. Will more than likely be a signing from abroad or someone like McCarthy on loan #WBA
— Paul (@P4ulG87) January 11, 2019
Let’s go get Bradley Dack now #wba
— Robbo (@Baggieboy75Mike) January 11, 2019
https://twitter.com/thejonreeve/status/1083696065155608576
https://twitter.com/Rxdriguezz_/status/1083687222820376576
Eveyone expecting Dack as the ideal replacement but we’ll know Giles is the man he will turn to… #wba
— Jon Simonian (@_Simonian) January 11, 2019
Hayden will not be Barnes replacement completely different type of the player, a player that we don’t need as we have Harper and Field, only replacement I see fit for Barnes is Bradley Dack, plus we need another striker #wba https://t.co/HIE79aNzoQ
— Jack???? (@jackxwba) January 8, 2019
https://twitter.com/HurricaneHic147/status/1082322560652595200
Dack is pie in the sky! Same for Joe lolley who name I've seen banded around! Would cost north of 20 million! Will be replaced with another loan at best!
— Tony 48% Smith (@RoystykinsWBA) January 11, 2019
Sign Dack ASAP! https://t.co/IIBEiiH8d1
— James Stevens (@westbromStevo18) January 11, 2019
Now make a bid for him or Dack, we’re comfortably mid-table without him. https://t.co/IaXXV6ven8
— Joe Slater (@joeslaterwba) January 11, 2019
Barnes going back to Leicester is a blow. That's why personally I'd have kept Burke. We need to go all out for Dack now.
— Parky (@parky5) January 11, 2019
Said it for ages, break the bank for Bradley Dack.
Test the water but I think he'll be off to a premier league club.
— steve wba 10 (@stevewba10) January 11, 2019
Got to break the transfer record for Dack now, it’s that simple. But we all know that ain’t gonna happen.
— Stuart Bailey (@SJB74) January 11, 2019