£175k proved money well spent for West Brom, he's still loved at The Hawthorns: View | OneFootball

West Brom enjoyed eight successful years in the Premier League, following promotion in 2010.

They secured consistent mid-table finishes, even finishing as high as eighth in the 2012-13 season, due in large part to a reliable and loyal core of players who garnered a reputation for defensive solidity.

One such player was midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu, who arrived from PSG for just £175k in January 2009.

The former Congolese international was a tough-tackling midfielder who provided energy and determination in the middle of the park.

Mulumbu was not short of technique either, and he would routinely fire in goals from the edge of the area or glide past players before slotting the ball home.

A cult hero at the Hawthorns, Mulumbu was central to West Brom's return to the topflight and was a key presence as the Baggies maintained their Premier League status despite years of managerial upheaval - nine managers came through the door during his time at the club.

Mulumbu left West Brom in 2015, having made 211 appearances across seven seasons with the club, and is still fondly remembered by fans due to his role in the most successful period in West Brom's modern history.

Mulumbu recovers from injury to guide West Brom to promotion.

Mulumbu joined relegation-threatened West Brom on loan in January 2009, but injuries meant he had to wait until April to make his Premier League debut.

Mulumbu was unable to prevent the Baggies' slide towards relegation. But he returned to full fitness the next season, playing 46 games in all competitions as West Brom bounced straight back up to the Premier League.

A sign of his importance to the side, Mulumbu was named West Brom's Player of the Year and, after a difficult start to life in England, had firmly cemented his reputation as a dependable member of West Brom's team.

Mulumbu a figure of consistency as West Brom evolve

Typically, newly promoted Premier League teams will look to move on from the players who guided them to promotion, citing their limitations as a reason why they can't push up the table.

West Brom, though, stuck with a core of players which included the likes of Chris Brunt, James Morrison and Mulumbu among others and were rewarded with consistent performances that saw them reach the edge of European qualification in 2013.

Mulumbu, having never played in the Premier League before he arrived at West Brom, took effortlessly to topflight football.

The anchor upon which West Brom were able to build their attacks, Mulumbu's ability out of possession, gave the Baggies a solid foundation that allowed them to play without fear regardless of the opposition.

In their first campaign back in the Premier League, West Brom took points away to Arsenal and Manchester United, coming from two goals down to draw with United before remarkably taking a three-goal lead against Arsenal en route to a 3-2 win at the Emirates.

Mulumbu's all-action displays were pivotal for West Brom during these games and would continue to be a huge part of the Baggies' fear factor against the traditional top-six.

Mulumbu was a trusted member of West Brom's squad and was relied upon right up until his departure in 2015.

With West Brom hoping to secure promotion back to the Premier League this season, they'd do well to find a player as consistent as Mulumbu to hold together their midfield.