Now that the threat of relegation is behind them, it comes as no surprise that West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers are already focusing on summer additions.
Neither club can risk another season down at the bottom and both desperately need reliable creators if they are to step back into the top half of the Championship.
It’s why the Baggies need to finally replace Matheus Pereira and why Blackburn are ready to push their Championship rivals all the way to sign exactly that this summer.
West Brom still haven’t replaced Pereira
In terms of individual brilliance, West Brom will struggle to find a player as talented as Pereira.
The Brazilian made Championship football look routine and quickly took the Premier League by storm. He is exactly the player every promoted side need if they are to stand a chance at avoiding instant relegation.
|
Pereira at West Brom |
|
|---|---|
|
Games |
77 |
|
Goals |
20 |
|
Assists |
26 |
The Baggies have been without that quality ever since Pereira’s departure in 2021. It’s seen them gradually fall away from the top six and tumble towards the threat of relegation. It’s only thanks to James Morrison‘s spell in charge that they’re not a League One side right now.
Finding a repeat of the Brazilian should be a priority for just about any Championship club this summer, including Blackburn. If they can gain the calibre of player that West Brom once lost, they may well push back into top six contention, themselves.
Just who that player is remains the big question. It may take a major gamble for any club to unneath the next Pereira.
According to Sports Boom earlier this year, West Brom and Blackburn have made enquiries about signing Dele Alli, who is still a free agent a year on from leaving Como in Italy.
Why West Brom should take Dele Alli gamble
No one is doubting just how big a gamble it would be to sign Dele at this stage. The last time that the midfielder started a game of senior football was back in February of 2023 when on loan from Everton at Besiktas. That was over three years ago.
The image of the player that he once was, the young star who earned comparisons with Steven Gerrard, is beginning to fade. The 2026 World Cup alarm that he admitted to setting up has become more awkward than inspiring. But even after so much personal turmoil, pure talent doesn’t simply evaporate even as physical attributes do.
At his best, Dele can become West Brom’s new Pereira. He’s certainly a player of similar calibre, having shone on the Champions League stage many moons ago.
|
League stats |
Dele 19/20 |
Pereira 20/21 |
|---|---|---|
|
Minutes |
1,851 |
2,581 |
|
Goals |
8 |
11 |
|
Assists |
4 |
6 |
|
Chances created |
23 |
60 |
|
Touches in opposition box |
81 |
70 |
The last time that Dele was even close to his best came in the 2019/20 season. He was involved in 12 goals that season and crucially took 81 touches in the opposition’s box. He was at the centre of everything positive that Tottenham did going forward.
Pereira had similar influence at West Brom in the 20/21 season. With 17 goal involvements to his name, the South American very much took up the role of their lead talisman – a position they’ve not filled with the same effect ever since.
It would be easy to write Dele off. He’s 30 years old, without a club and showing no signs of rediscovering his best form. What he is, however, is a free agent – a free gamble to take. It’s a win-win situation for West Brom. If he thrives, they’ve got a gem. If he fails, they didn’t overspend.
There’s still time for the former England international to salvage his career. No one thought Tyson Fury would step back into a boxing ring. He then did the unthinkable against Deontay Wilder and became a world champion. Now, it’s over to Dele to complete the latest impossible sporting comeback.
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