West Brom are looking at a loan move for Watford attacker Andre Gray, if they fail to complete the signing of Huddersfield’s Karlan Grant, a report from The Express and Star has claimed.
The Baggies are in the market for a striker this summer ahead of their return to the Premier League, and while Grant looks to be their number one target to fill that role, it seems other options are now being assessed.
According to the latest reports, the Baggies have yet to agree a fee with Huddersfield for Grant, with the Terriers holding out for £16million, despite the fact that the player himself is said to be keen on a move to The Hawthorns.
It is thought that if the Baggies are unable to reach a deal for Grant with the Terriers – something being made harder by the chunk they took out of their budget to re-sign Grady Diangana from West Ham last week – then Gray could be an alternative target for Slaven Bilic’s side.
Watford are said to have told West Brom that they are willing to facilitate a loan move for Gray, who has been with the club since joining from Burnley for £11.5million in 2017.
Since moving to Vicarage Road, Gray has scored 16 goals in 94 appearances in all competitions for his current club, with the 29-year-old finding the net just twice in 23 league outings as the Hornets were relegated last season.
That is something that really ought to have set alarm bells ringing amongst a few Baggies fans.
With the club’s striking options struggling in front of goal last season, they are going to need to find a more effective striker in front of goal if they are to have a chance of avoiding relegation from the Premier League this season.
Gray’s record in recent seasons does not exactly breed confidence that he can be the man to fill that role, and even if they cannot get Grant, you feel there may be more suitable options out there for the club than the Watford man.
