Tony Pulis planning lucrative facelift at West Brom this summer
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West Bromwich Albion, 11/4 with Coral to finish in the Premier League top 10 next season, are reportedly eyeing a triple swoop for established stars, as boss Tony Pulis prepares to give his squad an overhaul.
They will first look to capitalise on Liverpool’s spending this summer, with ambitions to bring in veteran striker Rickie Lambert. Pulis is a fan of physical, hard-working frontmen, and Lambert fits the bill. The Reds are reportedly set to accept a £3m offer for the 33-year-old.
Lambert turned down a £5m move to Aston Villa in the January transfer window, though following the signings of Danny Ings and Roberto Firmino already this summer, he is highly likely to be deemed surplus to requirements by the Reds, with chances of playing first team football at Anfield next term slim.
The Baggies are also considering a double swoop for QPR duo Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips, who will likely cost a combined £22m, though there appears to be quite a queue forming for the former. Southampton, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have all been linked since the end of the season and the Baggies may find themselves outbid for Austin.
Pulis already has Brown Ideye, Victor Anichebe and star striker Saido Berahino at his disposal, though one big priority is keeping hold of the latter.
Phillips, on the other hand, is a player that Pulis likes. The former Crystal Palace and Stoke City manager is a fan of playing with traditional wingers; something he did to great effect while at the Potters, when he had Matt Etherington and Jermaine Pennant.
If, and it is a big if, Pulis can convince Austin to make the move to The Hawthorns, he could potentially guarantee the Baggies 12 more points per season. It is very rare for any side that Pulis manages to concede, so if they can add quality up front, next term looks promising.
