“It would be a big ask” – West Brom close in on EFL forward: The verdict | OneFootball

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Football League World

·31 August 2022

“It would be a big ask” – West Brom close in on EFL forward: The verdict

Article image:“It would be a big ask” – West Brom close in on EFL forward: The verdict

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…


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Midlands rivals Birmingham City had agreed a deal for the 23-year-old, as detailed in a tweet from Alex Howell, however, it appears that the Baggies will win this particular race.

Thomas-Asante has started the new League Two season in electric form, netting five times and assisting a further two in seven appearances thus far.

Starting his career with MK Dons, before dipping into the non-league, Thomas-Asante has proven to be an excellent addition at the Peninsula Stadium since his 2019 arrival.

Three of our writers here at FLW have shared their thoughts regarding West Brom’s interest in the EFL star and whether or not he could see regular minutes at Albion as the season progresses…

Billy Mulley

A player that has been watched by a number of Championship clubs in recent years, it is no surprise that a second-tier outfit have improved their stance from just an initial interest.

An athletic, intelligent and relentless forward, Thomas-Asante has all the necessary tools to make the step up to Championship level, especially within a side that will provide lots of chances for him.

Of course, it is not just a case of stepping up two divisions, should the move go through, he will be joining a massive club at Championship level where expectations are going to be very high.

Thomas-Asante is on an upward trajectory and is certainly of Championship quality, and whilst he may have to be patient, he has every chance of succeeding with the Baggies and seeing regular starting minutes.

Declan Harte

The move to Birmingham City seemed a better option for Thomas-Asante at this stage of his career.

The Blues offered a more clear pathway into the starting lineup for the 23-year old.

But the Baggies could still offer him a decent level of playing time this season if he can prove his readiness for the Championship.

There is no doubting the forward’s talent, having made a bright start to this season at Salford.

However, if Daryl Dike and Karlan Grant can maintain a consistent level of fitness this campaign, then it is unlikely that Thomas-Asante will be anything more than a squad player under Bruce.

It is still a very positive next step for the striker to make in his career, and competing at a higher level with the Baggies could prove a worthwhile trade-off for slightly less game time.

Toby Wilding

To begin with, no.

While Asante is clearly an exciting player who is in some fantastic form at the minute, it will be a big step up for him to go from League Two to a side expected to compete for promotion to the Premier League.

As a result, it would be a big ask to challenge him to make an immediate impact in that side, and when you consider the quality they have in their attacking ranks, that doesn’t really feel like a risk worth taking.

However, that also means there are plenty of players in this team that Asante will be able to learn from, and at 23-years-old, he does still have time on his side when it comes to his career prospects.

As a result, you get the feeling that he may have to wait for his chance at The Hawthorns, there is no reason to think that will not come along at some point for Asante.

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