“Could well be the next to flourish” – West Brom chase Aston Villa deal in January: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict’ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

West Bromwich Albion have been linked with Aston Villa defender Lamare Bogarde ahead of January.

That’s according to Football Insider, who report that Albion and Championship rivals Norwich City are both keen on a loan deal for the 18-year-old.

So would he be a good signing for the Baggies? And do they need him?

We quizzed our FLW writers…

Quiz: Have any of these 25 ex-West Brom players ever played for a London based team?

1 of 25

Has former West Brom man Saido Berahino ever played for a London based team?

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Alfie Burns

Corberan is obviously going to want to strengthen West Brom at both ends of the pitch this January, with defence feeling like a priority.

Kyle Bartley has had a resurgence lately, whilst Dara O’Shea has obvious quality too. However, it’s only Semi Ajayi that fully convinces me of the options Corberan currently has.

Because of that, a deal for a centre-back makes a lot of sense.

Bogarde has a good profile in that he’s a Dutch centre-back that looks confident on the ball. So much so, he can even move forwards into midfield – always a plus in a Championship squad.

Whilst he is obviously still raw, it won’t phase Corberan, who blooded Levi Colwill at Huddersfield Town last season. He was their main man progressing the ball from centre-back last season and you could see Bogarde doing the same in his West Brom side.

It would be a deal you’d think would be welcome, albeit difficult to do with Dean Smith’s Norwich City also interested. His Villa connections might just sway a deal in his favour.

Ned Holmes

Aston Villa youngsters have a good record on loan in the Championship and Lamare Bogarde could well be the next to flourish.

Whether or not he intends to stick with a back four, Carlos Corberan will want to add to more defensive options in January and the Baggies shouldn’t have to break the bank to land the teenager so this one could be a go-er – particularly given his ability in possession.

It speaks volumes that he’s already made his senior debut for Villa and has been named in Premier League matchday squads this season while the interest of Norwich City shows there’s a feeling across the Championship that he could excel at the level.

We can expect Albion to be busy as they look to strengthen Corberan’s squad and landing the young defender would be a fantastic way to kick things off.

Adam Jones

If Corberan is sticking with a back four, it may make sense to have Bogarde in considering Erik Pieters usually operates as a left-back.

Without Cedric Kipre and Caleb Taylor at their disposal, you feel a loan deal would be ideal so the Baggies can fill a gap before they return, with Taylor looking set to be a real asset for Albion in the future.

Bringing in a longer-term addition may block Taylor’s path, so this move could be ideal for all parties if he can be a solid asset at this level.

His arrival may also give Kean Bryan more time to recover and that will be important considering how long he has been out for.

The teenager can also operate in midfield and has done on numerous occasions, supplying depth to another area that may benefit from more options with Alex Mowatt out on loan.