Triple West Bromwich Albion departure expected as Bristol City circle midfielder | OneFootball

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West Bromwich Albion may look to sell three more players ahead of the transfer deadline on September 1st, with Bristol City closing in on the signing of Taylor Gardner-Hickman.

That's according to Darren Witcoop, who has outlined the need to raise funds through player sales.

Having failed to make the play-offs last season in the Championship under Carlos Corberan, the Baggies will be keen to improve upon that this term.

This season is the club's third consecutive season at second tier level, but their first with Corberan in charge at the start of the campaign. West Brom have been a club with decent resources to attract the very best the Championship can offer in recent years, but spending has certainly cut back significantly this summer.

The parachute payments have dried up, and ongoing ownership issues have meant that they're operating on a tighter budget than usual this season, which has been apparent in the transfer market.

Player sales is key to how they can operate in the market, with Dara O'Shea's move to Burnley thought to be easing the financial issues at the club at the time, as well as other departures this summer helping to reduce the wage bill.

They include the likes of Kean Bryan, Jake Livermore, Tom Rogic, and David Button. All four players were in the first-team last season but have left the club on free transfers. Whilst striker Karlan Grant has also left West Brom in the current window, signing for Cardiff City on a season-long loan deal.

The club haven't made significant changes in terms of incomings, signing Jeremy Sarmiento on a loan deal from Brighton and Hove Albion and their other arrival is the signing of former Sunderland striker Josh Maja, who joins the club on a free transfer from French side Bordeaux and has penned a three-year deal at the Hawthorns.

The Baggies will be looking to go one better and reach the play-offs next season. That would improve on what they have achieved in the last two seasons at second tier level, finishing ninth and 10th in the table since their relegation from the top-flight in 2020/21.

However, with that being said, it appears unlikely West Brom will be able to strengthen further without player sales.

Darren Witcoop has revealed the Baggies are "ready" to sell Taylor Gardner-Hickman to Bristol City this summer, with the Robins keen to add to their midfield options, having lost Alex Scott to AFC Bournemouth earlier in the summer.

Witcoop added that West Brom "remain keen to offload Grady Diangana and Nathaniel Chalobah to cut wages and make room for potential new arrivals."

It has been reported for some time now that Diangana is available this summer for a move away, with the Sunday People (11/06, pg 61) reporting that the Baggies are willing to listen to offers for the winger in the summer window.

Meanwhile, Chalobah was widely reported to be close to a move to Maccabi Haifa, and he had flown over to speak to the club, with the expectation that the move would go ahead.

However, it has since been revealed that Chalobah was back with Albion after the move broke down.

Should West Brom sell Gardner-Hickman, Chalobah, and Diangana?

With the need to raise funds, West Brom should offload some unwanted players if possible, in spite of all three having some use in their thin squad at present.

Gardner-Hickman is a talented youngster but hasn't played as much as he would have liked for his development, whereas Diangana has flattered to deceive in recent years.

Chalobah is likely to be on a decent wage and is perhaps the player with the least usefulness who they will be desperate to offload.