"West Brom hold all the cards" - Pundit issues statement surrounding Everton player pursuit | OneFootball

The winger has been one of the Baggies' star performers so far this season.

Former West Bromwich Albion player Carlton Palmer has urged the club to not sell Tom Fellows in January, amid reports that Everton are interested in him.

In their first full season of the Shilen Patel era, West Brom are striving to achieve what they failed to do last season and win promotion, and their return, to the Premier League.

They were one of the early pacesetters, rattling off five wins and a draw in their first six games. They have failed to win since then - losing twice and drawing four times - but, even with their recent struggles, they are still in a very strong position in fifth.

The performances of Fellows - their 21-year-old right-winger - in those initial matches were enough to catch the eye of one top flight team.

Everton have checked in on Fellows and sent some people to watch him while on international duty with the England under-21s, according to Alan Nixon, but any deal is dependent on the Toffees getting some more money in via a takeover before January.

West Brom urged to hold onto Tom Fellows

Palmer - a former Baggy who played over 100 games for the club - has said that Albion must not let Fellows leave in January, but admitted that it would be a good move for the player.

"West Brom have started the season exceptionally well," said Palmer when speaking to Football League World. "They sit fifth in the Championship on 20 points so a really good start to the season for them. But they are bracing themselves for a difficult January transfer window.

"One of their players that has been outstanding for them is Tom Fellows. Everton have been tracking him. They currently sit in 16th place in the Premier League, five points off of the relegation zone, and are looking to bring in reinforcements in the January transfer window.

"They have been tracking the 21-year-old for some time. He's capped by the under-21s and, again, any deal will hinge on Everton receiving a cash injection with the Toffees in the midst of a takeover.

"West Brom won't be happy to lose such a talented player, but they did expect that it may have happened in the summer. It's believed that Everton are looking for fresh legs in their attack as they look to bolster their survival hopes.

"They need to keep hold of young Fellows. He has started the season really well, they want to get promotion this season. He's their prized asset and to lose him mid-season would be strange.

"They've had a takeover themselves, Carlos Coberan has done really well, so I think that they'd be foolish to sell him at this moment in time.

"They need to keep hold of Fellows. So far this season in the Championship he's assisted five; chances created, 16; successful crosses, 12; cross accuracy, 37.5%; successful dribbles per game, 11; dribble success rate, 59%. It's fantastic that he's done so well.

"West Brom hold all of the cards. He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract extension, so his deal doesn't run out until the summer of 2027.

"If he moves to Everton, because of the situation they are in, he's going to play in the Premier League, and that's where this boy is destined to play. So, it'd be a good move for him because West Brom are still going to have it all on. I don't think they'll get one or two automatic, so it'll have to be through the play-offs that they're going to get promoted.

"So from West Brom's point of view it's not a good time to sell Fellows, but it'd be a good buy for Everton and a good move for the player."

West Brom can demand a high price for Tom Fellows

The Albion academy graduate is truly one of their own. He has developed in their system, such that they should be rewarded mightily if they decide to profit from him, monetarily.

He could offer West Brom so much for so many years to come if he were to continue on his current trajectory. Relinquishing that should not only cost a lot up front for the team that wants to take Fellows away from the Hawthorns, but any deal for him should also include a sizeable sell-on percentage.