West Brom Championship promotion odds: Predicted finish, transfers, best players, full squad
Promotion back to the Premier League is the target for Carlos Corberán and his West Brom side this season.
West Brom will be hoping to go one step further in 2024/25 and gain promotion back to the top-flight after their play-off semi-final defeat to Southampton last season.
The Baggies finished the normal season in 5th in a impressive campaign that saw them stay in the play-off places for a huge chunk of the season. The tail off towards the end of the campaign will be a worry for Carlos Corberán however, after they lost three of their final four matches after finishing with three draws in the previous four before that.
The manager will hopefully learn from his mistakes this time around and his side look set to be in the play-off picture once more.
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Latest West Brom odds to be promoted in the 2024/25 Championship
West Brom’s summer transfer window business so far
The Baggies will be without several crucial players from last season after the departures of Brandon Thomas-Asante, Okay Yokuslu, Conor Townsend and Cedric Kipre, but they have some signing some reinforcements. Devante Cole should provide some more firepower after joining on a free from Barnsley, while Torbjørn Heggem can fill in at left-back and centre-back and Ousmane Diakite should come straight into midfield. Paddy McNair joins on loan.
West Brom transfers |
|||
| Ins | Fee | Outs | Fee |
| Devante Cole | Free | Brandon Thomas-Asante | £2.25m |
| Torbjørn Heggem | £500k | Okay Yokuslu | £1m |
| Ousmane Diakite | Free | Conor Townsend | £400k |
| Paddy McNair | Loan | Cedric Kipre | Free |
| Joe Wildsmith | Free | Nathaniel Chalobah | Free |
Who are West Brom’s most important players?
West Brom’s top Championship Golden Boot contender: Devante Cole
- Key stat: Devante Cole has scored 15+ league goals in each of the last two seasons.
After another impressive League One campaign with Barnsley last season, Devante Cole is now looking to replicate that form in the Championship.
The 29-year-old scored 18 times in 43 league starts in 2023/24, making it 33 goals across the previous two seasons. Now back in the second division of English football for the first time since 2021/22, Cole, son of former Manchester United and Newcastle stiker Andy, must first make the forward role his own facing tough competition from Josh Maja and Karlan Grant.
But if he can do that, there is no reason why he can’t continue to find the back of the net, with his manager saying “Devante is an energetic, hardworking striker who also has pace. “He arrives after scoring goals in League One last season and will provide further attacking competition to the squad.”
West Brom’s primary playmaker: Alex Mowatt
- Key stat: Alex Mowatt was the only West Brom player to create 50+ chances in the Championship last season.
The former Middlesbrough man made the midfield role his own last season, appearing in 45 of West Brom’s 48 Championship matches across the campaign.
He averaged 1.5 chances created per game, creating at least 22 more chances than any of his teammates (66), whilst also providing five assists, which was the joint-second most of any West Brom player behind only Grady Diangana (8). The 29-year-old is also on set piece duty for the Baggies alongside John Swift, taking 107 of their corners last campaign.
West Brom’s card magnets & top tacklers: Darnell Furlong
- Key stat: Darnell Furlong played in every single league game for West Brom last season.
With the departures of Cedric Kipre and Okay Yokuslu who picked up 21 yellow cards between them last season, Darnell Furlong is the last remaining card magnet at West Brom this season.
The full-back picked up 10 yellow cards across the last campaign, whilst also winning (60) and committing (48) more fouls than any of his teammates during the 2023/24 league season. Averaging 1.1 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, he is expected once again to start at right-back and should continue to pick up bookings during this campaign.
West Brom’s rising star: Modou Faal
After spending the last few seasons on loan at AFC Fylde, Doncaster Rovers and Walsall over the last few seasons, Modou Faal is hoping this is the season he gets to show what he can do at the Hawthorns.
The 21-year-old is a strong, quick forward with an eye for goal and has scored 19 goals across the last two seasons while way from the club.
West Brom’s set-piece specialists:
- Penalties: John Swift
- Free kicks: Jed Wallace & John Swift
- Corners: Alex Mowatt & John Swift
West Brom’s tactical analysis & formation
West Brom’s team stats from the 2023/24 Championship season (avg per game):
- Corners: 5.8
- Shots on target: 3.6
- Shots on target conceded: 3.3
- Offsides: 1.8
It’s all change personnel wise for West Brom this season, but their manager and tactics will stay the same.
Carlos Corberán will stick with the 4-2-3-1 set up that he was so successful with in 2023/24, but it will be Josh Maja and Devante Cole looking to lead the line after top goalscorer from last season Brandon Thomas-Asante left to join Coventry and Daryl Dike being ruled out through injury.
Karlan Grant, Jed Wallace and Grady Diangana look the most likely to start just behind the lone striker, while new signing Ousmane Diakite should partner Alex Mowatt at the base of the Baggies’ midfield. There will be also changes in defence after the departures of Cedric Kipre and Conor Townsend with Torbjørn Heggem likely to fill in at left-back and Semi Ajayi returning alongside Kyle Bartley at centre-back.
Alex Palmer played every league match last season and will continue as Corberán’s number one.
West Brom full Championship 2024/25 squad
| PLAYER NAME | POSITION | AGE |
| Alex Palmer | Goalkeeper | 27 |
| Joe Wildsmith | Goalkeeper | 28 |
| Paddy McNair | Defender | 29 |
| Semi Ajayi | Defender | 30 |
| Caleb Taylor | Defender | 21 |
| Torbjorn Heggem | Defender | 25 |
| Kyle Bartley | Defender | 33 |
| Darnell Furlong | Defender | 28 |
| Ousmane Diakite | Midfielder | 24 |
| Alex Mowatt | Midfielder | 29 |
| John Swift | Midfielder | 29 |
| Jayson Molumby | Midfielder | 24 |
| Tom Fellows | Midfielder | 21 |
| Grady Diangana | Forward | 26 |
| Jed Wallace | Forward | 30 |
| Karlan Grant | Forward | 26 |
| Daryl Dike | Forward | 24 |
| Josh Maja | Forward | 25 |
| Devante Cole | Forward | 29 |
| Modou Faal | Forward | 21 |
West Brom FAQs
Where did West Brom finish in the 2023/24 Championship season?
The Baggies finished 5th last season, being beaten in the play-off semi-finals by eventual winners Southampton.
Who is the West Brom manager?
Carlos Corberán remains in charge of the Baggies having taken over in October 2022 after Steve Bruce was dismissed.
Who is the current West Brom captain?
Jed Wallace is the West Brom captain, being handed the armband at the beginning of last season.
What is West Brom’s best Championship finish?
West Brom last won the Championship in 2007/08 under Tony Mowbray, finishing two points clear of Stoke City in second.
