West Bromwich Albion are very well placed for an immediate return to the top-flight as we enter the second half of the Championship season. 

Darren Moore has done a brilliant job of transforming the mood at the Hawthorns after Alan Pardew's spell and their relegation, with the Baggies currently sat in fourth place with 26 matches played.

With 46 points to their name, they sit just three behind second-placed Norwich City and five below league-leaders Leeds United.

This January looks set to be the most important transfer period in years with the top of the table incredibly close and with the window now in full swing, West Brom fans will be keen to see their club busy bringing in new recruits to give them an edge in the run in.

But the best outcome at the moment would be keeping hold of Leicester City loanee Harvey Barnes, with the Foxes tempted to recall him after a brilliant six months in the West Midlands.

Having scored nine and assisted seven it is no real surprise that this is the case, but Barnes must demand to stay with the Baggies.

And here are THREE reasons why...

Lack of competitiveness 

 

Playing competitive football can be one of the best things a young and developing player can do and it can be easy to forget that Barnes is still in that stage of his career.

With Leicester out of all cup competitions, most recently to Newport County in the FA Cup, and very unlikely to go down or break into the top-six, the winger would see very little benefit from returning to the King Power.

Staying at the Hawthorns and fighting for promotion would be the best thing for his progression.

No guarantee of football

In Rachid Ghezzal, Demari Gray and even James Maddison, Barnes will have three players who would probably all be above him in Claude Puel's pecking order.

Staying at West Brom where he is established as one of the main men in attack is the sensible option as he is guaranteed to be playing every week.

Instability

Leicester City is hardly a club whose future is completely mapped out for it at the moment.

There are increasing calls from fans to sack manager Claude Puel so for Barnes to go back to the Foxes now when the manager who made the decision could be gone in a few weeks makes no sense.

Any incoming manager could well just ship him straight back out on loan.