Ex-West Brom man delivers verdict on reported pursuit of 12-goal striker | OneFootball

West Brom are one of a number of clubs interested in English hot-shot Rhys Healey – and former Baggies striker Kevin Phillips has given his seal of approval.

A number of Premier League and Championship sides have been watching the 26-year-old for French second tier side Toulouse according to TEAMtalk, with Albion one of those teams taking a keen look.

After scoring 15 goals in 29 outings for Welsh side Connah’s Quay Nomads as a youngster, Healey moved to Cardiff in 2013 but after just 14 league appearances for the Bluebirds in six years and a number of loan spells later, he was on the move to MK Dons in 2019.

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Despite missing part of the 2019-20 campaign through injury for the Dons, Healey was prolific and scored 11 times in 18 League One outings, prompting Toulouse to sign him in the summer of 2020.

Healey scored 15 goals in Ligue 2 in his debut season and he’s in fine form during the current campaign, scoring 12 times in 15 outings including a four-goal haul last weekend against Sochaux.

He clearly knows where the back of the net is and another player who knew how to score in his playing days was Phillips – and he believes Healey could be a very shrewd addition to Valerien Ismael’s ranks.

“Is he the out-and-out striker who can fire West Brom to the playoffs or into the top-two? Only time would tell if he came in.

“But it’s good they’re looking at these types of players and if they’re being linked with it, they are clearly doing their homework.

“Healey could be one who won’t cost a fortune but could come in and do a job. That’s the kind of player they should be looking at.”

The Verdict

Healey has little in the way of Championship experience, with just 10 appearances and one goal with Cardiff.

Most of his EFL game-time came in League One and Two with Colchester, Newport and MK Dons but in his one season with the latter he showed good form and he’s continued that overseas.

It’s hard to weigh up the difference in quality between the Championship and Ligue 2, but players who know where the back of the net are don’t come around very often and with the right service, Healey could be a force in the Championship.

Toulouse would likely require a decent fee for Healey’s services but if West Brom are serious about promotion this season they need to invest in their front-line and Healey looks to be one that fits the bill.