West Brom hit the jackpot with Argentine free transfer: View | OneFootball

The Baggies signed Claudio Yacob on a free transfer in 2012 and he went onto enjoy six successful years at The Hawthorns

West Bromwich Albion enjoyed a spell of eight consecutive Premier League seasons between 2010 and 2018, and one man in particular played a pivotal role in what was a golden era for the club.

Claudio Yacob joined the club in 2012 as an unknown quantity and would make 175 appearances for the Baggies over the next six seasons, becoming a bit of a modern-day legend at The Hawthorns.

The Argentina international joined from Racing Club in his homeland as a free agent, and despite having no experience of English football, or any experience outside of Argentina for that matter, he had no problem with adapting to Premier League football.

When you think of some of the West Brom icons from their days in the Premier League, Yacob may not be a player that would jump out immediately, but he was an instrumental figure in some of their greatest days in recent history.

Claudio Yacob was a key player for West Brom during their Premier League days

Despite being an unknown quantity when he joined the club in 2012, it didn't take long for the Argentine midfielder to make an impact and show what he was capable of.

He made his debut on the opening day of the 2012/13 season, starting against Liverpool, and he put in a hugely impressive display as Steve Clarke's side beat Liverpool 3-0, setting the tone for a successful season that saw them finish in 8th place.

It's fair to say that Yacob wasn't the flashiest of players, and he wasn't someone that would score goals or register loads of assists, but he was excellent at sitting in front of the back four, acting as a shield for the Baggies' defence, winning tackles and winning the ball back.

The Baggies were tough to beat in the Premier League, as shown by their eight consecutive seasons in the top-flight, and that was in some part thanks to Yacob's defensive abilities.

He missed eight games in his first season thanks to injury, but he started 29 out of the 30 games he was available for, showing just how important he was to the club.

The 13/14 season was a more difficult one for the Baggies, and they narrowly avoided relegation, but Yacob continued to play an important role, and scored his only league goal for the club in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal in October 2013.

His tough tackling nature meant he suffered two suspensions during the 14/15 season, meaning he played just 20 games, but a 14th place finish was a marked improvement for the Baggies.

However, the 2015/16 season saw the two-cap Argentina international return to his best, and he played 34 league games, starting 33, registering his one and only assist in a Baggies shirt during their 1-0 win over Newcastle United.

His form saw him rewarded with a two-year contract extension in the summer of 2016, and the 2016/17 campaign was yet another impressive one for Yacob, playing 33 games as the Baggies recorded a respectable 10th place.

The following season proved a miserable one for both Yacob and the club, and he struggled for playing time under the Baggies' three managers they went through, and the club finished bottom of the Premier League, suffering relegation.

After starting just nine games that season, coupled with the club's relegation and his contract ending, the midfielder left West Brom after six years.

It wasn't the fairytale ending either party would have hoped for, but he certainly became a fan favourite at The Hawthorns, and played an important role in some great days for the club.

Claudio Yacob's career after leaving West Brom

After being released by West Brom, Yacob remained in English football and joined their Championship rivals Nottingham Forest on a two-year deal, but made just 17 appearances in his first season at the City Ground.

Things got even worse the following season under Sabri Lamouchi, and after failing to make a single matchday squad, his contract was terminated in January 2020, and he returned to South America with Uruguayan club Nacional.

23 appearances for Nacional followed before the Argentina international was on the move again, this time back to his homeland with Huracan.

A solid 2021 with Huracan, where he played 24 times, was enough to earn a move to Rosario Central, but he struggled for playing time there, playing just 11 games, and he was on the move yet again after a couple of months, joining Peruvian side Universitario de Deportes.

Just eight appearances followed during the second half of the 2021/22 season, and he retired from football at the end of 2022.

Despite having played for eight different clubs in his career, Yacob played more games for West Brom than any other side, and it was where he spent the prime years of his career.