There are several teams from the Midlands in contention to earn promotion to the Premier League this season, including West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Two of those sides faced off against each other on Sunday, as Wolves and the Blues held each other to a 2-2 draw, whilst the Baggies beat Watford 1-0 on Saturday.
Whilst all three teams dipped into the market to bolster their respective squads in the summer, there is still an opportunity for them to look to the free agent market for further reinforcements.
Burnley officially confirmed the signing of veteran striker and one-time Premier League winner Jamie Vardy on a free transfer over the weekend, and Wolves and West Brom could follow suit.
Why Wolves and West Brom need to find their own Jamie Vardy
The Old Gold need another experienced number nine option to pad out their squad because Raul Jimenez is the only senior centre-forward on the books, as Adam Armstrong is more comfortable off the front and Sean Neave is a teenager.
Signing an experienced striker would take the pressure off Neave and allow Armstrong to play in his favoured position when Jimenez is unavailable to play or needs a rest, which will happen at some point over a 46-game season.
The Baggies, meanwhile, may want to add another option to their forward line because of Aune Heggebo and Barney Stewart’s struggles at the start of the season.
|
26/27 Championship |
Aune Heggebo |
Barney Stewart |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
4 |
5 |
|
Shots |
4 |
0 |
|
xG |
1.50 |
0.0 |
|
Goals |
1 |
0 |
|
Big chances missed |
1 |
0 |
|
Big chances created |
0 |
0 |
|
Assists |
0 |
0 |
Heggebo’s only goal of the season so far was the one that earned him a two-game ban for deceiving the match officials as he bundled the ball into the net with his arm against Norwich.
There may be a concern about a lack of threat in front of goal if Jimmy Jay Morgan, who has scored three times in five matches, suffers an injury and misses a run of matches.
How West Brom and Wolves can sign their own version of Jamie Vardy
Whilst Burnley have taken the marquee Championship-level free agent striker off the market with their move for Vardy, there are alternatives available for West Brom and Wolves to look at.
Finland international Marcus Forss remains a free agent after his contract with Championship side Middlesbrough expired at the start of July earlier this summer.
The 27-year-old centre-forward has rejected offers from across Europe and Asia, including teams with Champions League football to offer, to keep himself open to a move to an English team, as reported by The Lower Tiers last month.
This means that he is still available to be snapped by Wolves or West Brom as their own version of Burnley’s deal for Vardy, bringing him in as a free agent boost to their respective attacks.
Forss spent last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers in League One, scoring five goals in 25 appearances in all competitions, but he has plenty of experience in the division above that.
The Finnish ace, who can play up front or on either flank, has played 142 times in the Championship and seven matches in the Premier League in his career, for Brentford, Hull City, and Middlesbrough.
|
Marcus Forss in the Championship |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Appearances |
Goals + assists |
|
25/26 |
1 |
0 + 0 |
|
24/25 |
24 |
1 + 0 |
|
23/24 |
21 |
7 + 2 |
|
22/23 |
38 |
10 + 5 |
|
21/22 |
11 |
1 + 1 |
|
20/21 |
39 |
7 + 1 |
|
19/20 |
2 |
0 + 0 |
|
18/19 |
6 |
1 + 0 |
His best football in the second tier came in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns with Boro, as he racked up 17 goals and seven assists in 59 appearances in the division.
Forss, of course, also came up through the youth ranks at West Brom, scoring six goals in 23 U18 and U23 games combined, before he made the move to Brentford, which is where he broke through at first-team level.
The 21-cap Finland international, who once scored 11 goals in 19 matches on loan at AFC Wimbledon, is an incredibly experienced Championship operator who knows the league and has proven that he can score goals, netting 27 times in it. In the EFL in general, he’s got 40 goals to his name.
Whilst he may not be a Premier League winning player who has played in the Champions League and scored over 100 top-flight goals, like Vardy, he is still an attractive free agent option for Wolves and West Brom.
Given that he would not cost a penny in transfer fees to sign, Forss could be a risk worth taking for either club to add more depth and experience to their attack ahead of a push to secure promotion from the Championship.
