West Brom should look to Huddersfield Town to fill Matty Phillips void: View | OneFootball

The 2023/24 season certainly did not end in the way those connected with West Brom would have wanted it to.

A fifth place finish in the regular Championship season had of course, ensured the Baggies qualified for the play-offs.

However, a 3-1 aggregate defeat to Southampton brought an end to the promotion hopes of Carlos Corberan's side.

As a result, those at West Brom must now prepare for another season in the second-tier, where they will once again be looking to secure a return to the Premier League.

Indeed, it seems work towards that has already begun, with a number of senior players having being released at the end of the season following the expiration of their contracts.

Among those set to be released by West Brom, is one player who has enjoyed a particularly long spell of service at The Hawthorns.

Matt Phillips released by the Baggies

Having joined the club from QPR all the way back in the summer of 2016, Matt Phillips' time with West Brom is now finally set to come to an end.

With his contract expiring this summer, it has been confirmed that the winger is now set to leave The Hawthorns after eight years there.

During that time, he has made over 250 appearances in all competitions for the Baggies, and helped the club to win promotion to the Premier League in the 2019/20 season.

Indeed, even this season, Phillips had a significant part to play for Corberan's side, making 26 appearances, scoring three goals and providing three assists in total.

As a result, the 33-year-old is one individual who will no doubt need to be replaced by West Brom for next season and beyond.

Now, it could be argued that one club the Baggies should be looking to raid to source their replacement for Phillips, is Huddersfield Town.

Sorba Thomas could be a good West Brom signing

With West Brom now looking to fill the void that has been left by Phillips at The Hawthorns, Sorba Thomas is one player they should surely be considering.

Despite his side's relegation from the Championship this season, Thomas has enjoyed an impressive individual campaign for Huddersfield.

In total, the Welsh international scored four goals and provided nine assists in 41 league matches for the Terriers.

Having provided that sort of attacking threat in a struggling side, it could be argued that Thomas could make an even bigger impact for a side competing at the other end of the table such as West Brom.

Indeed, that supply he can offer from out wide, as shown from his return in the assists column, shows just how important he can be for a team on the attack.

Meanwhile, at 25-years-old, Thomas is the same age that Phillips was all the way back when he first joined West Brom, highlighting how much of a long-term option he could be for the Baggies.

It should also be noted that he was part of the Huddersfield side who made it all the way to the Championship play-off final in the 2021/22 season, when managed by Corberan himself.

Reuniting with the Spaniard, if he himself remains at The Hawthorns, could therefore be appealing for Thomas, and may bring the best out of him if he makes this move, given they know each other already.

The winger's experience of the battle for Championship promotion could also be helpful for West Brom as they aim to secure their return to the Premier League next season.

Of course, Thomas does still have two years remaining on his contract at Huddersfield, securing his future at The John Smith's Stadium until the end of the 2025/26 season.

But the financial pressure brought about by the Terriers' relegation to League One, does also mean that the winger could be more affordable for the likes of West Brom than might otherwise be the case.

With all that in mind, it seems that as West Brom bid a fond farewell to Matt Phillips, one player that ought to be firmly in their sights to take over his role, is Sorba Thomas.