West Brom are planning for the new season with defender Kyle Bartley, says Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.
Bartley is currently being linked with a move away from The Hawthorns following West Brom’s relegation to the Championship.
According to The Telegraph, both Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are interested in the 30-year-old, who could cost £3m.
Will West Brom lose Bartley?
Yes
No
At that price, it would not be a surprise to see a Premier League club make a serious move for Bartley. However, while nothing is off the table, Hatfield thinks the centre-back could end up staying at West Brom.
“West Brom are pretty adamant that they want him to hang around,” the football reporter told TIF. “They’ll want him to stay.
“If the money’s right for any player, they’ll consider it, you know, because you can always reinvest that cash. But I think they’re planning for the season with Kyle Bartley, certainly not without him.”
Defensively, while West Brom were poor last season, conceding the most goals in the Premier League, Bartley did his best to deal with danger.
As per WhoScored, he averaged the most clearances (5.3) and made the most blocks (1.2) per game (minimum of five appearances) in the Baggies’ squad.
Alongside Matheus Pereira and Sam Johnstone, of course the Englishman is a player West Brom will not want to lose.