‘Possesses the talent needed to play at the highest level’ – West Brom lining up potential Derby 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…

Derby County midfielder Max Bird is on West Bromwich Albion’s radar ahead of January, as per a Football League World exclusive.

Clubs are circling some of Derby’s best young talent with a takeover deal not sorted and administrators refusing to rule out cashing in on players.

Albion, Brentford, Bournemouth, and Norwich City are understood to be keen on Bird.

So with Valerien Ismael short of options in midfield, could the 21-year-old be an ideal signing?

Our FLW writers have their say…

Has Tom Lawrence ever scored a goal for Derby County at each of these 26 stadiums?

Josh Cole

This would be a fantastic signing for West Brom as Max Bird has illustrated that he is more than capable of thriving at this level during his career to date.

Currently averaging a respectable WhoScored match rating of 6.74 in the second-tier, the 21-year-old would unquestionably freshen up the Baggies’ central-midfield options.

Whilst Alex Mowatt has managed to show some signs of promise in this particular position, Jake Livermore and Jayson Molumby have struggled with their consistency at times this season.

By splashing the cash on Bird, West Brom could reap the benefits of this deal as the midfielder possesses the talent needed to play at the highest level.

Billy Mulley

Max Bird is an excellent talent in the Championship, and given his maturity, technical ability, and influence, it is hard to comprehend that he has only recently turned 21.

Bird has an excellent future ahead of him and I think West Brom is a destination that would further advance him as a footballer.

The young midfielder has formed an excellent partnership next to Graeme Shinnie, with the Scotsman’s experience and tenacity rubbing off on Bird.

West Brom are lacking in midfield, and they have been ever since the start of the season.

Alex Mowatt is an excellent option in the middle of the park, whilst Jake Livermore and Jayson Molumby are also players who can fill the void, but adding a real technician like Bird would bolster their options greatly.

Toby Wilding

This does look as though it could be a useful piece of business for West Brom if they were to sign Bird.

It does seem as though the Baggies have rather struggled to find a settled midfield this season, with form, fitness and suspension all playing their part in that.

As a result, when you consider Bird is someone who has coped impressively in the centre of the park for Derby amid the issues they have faced, means he could be a useful option to help West Brom cope with their own challenges in that position.

Add in the fact that given he is a young age he has plenty of time to develop and improve further, and that Derby’s situation means he could be available for a relatively cheap price, and it would surely make sense for the Baggies to try and pursue this potential deal.