Former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips believes that the Baggies could do a lot worse than trying to secure a return to the club for Dwight Gayle in January in a bid to address their striker issues.
Albion have not won in their last four Championship matches with pressure piling on head coach Valerien Ismael from fans, with the Midlands side now fourth in the table and losing grip on the top two of Fulham and AFC Bournemouth.
Up-front has been a major issue for the club this season - Ismael's style of play demands a physical striker at the top end of the pitch and Jordan Hugill has failed to impress having arrived from Norwich City in August.
Karlan Grant has been the main talisman so far this season however he's been featuring as a wide forward, and there is a definite need to bring in a fresh option when the transfer window opens next month.
Despite not being the target man Ismael desires though, ex-West Brom man Gayle, who scored 23 Championship goals in 39 outings on loan in the 2018-19 campaign, would be the ideal man to get them firing.
“I think the kind of player they need is someone who can create something out of nothing, someone who can drop their shoulder, get half a yard, have a shot and score," Phillips told West Brom News.
“I mentioned Dwight Gayle at the beginning of the season and I had a couple of comments saying they wouldn’t like him back but he’s the type of player who’s just a goalscorer. Give him half a chance and he’ll score.
“Someone of that ilk that just wants to score goals, maybe that’s the type of player West Brom are lacking.”
The Verdict
Whilst he wouldn't be the target man that Ismael seemingly needs to make his system work, Gayle could potentially guarantee more goals as that's been a real issue recently.
The 32-year-old has played three times in the Premier League this season for Newcastle but they've only been brief substitute appearances and he may be a bit-part player under Eddie Howe.
He had success on a personal level at The Hawthorns a few years ago and it could be a place where he finds his feet once again, although he's clearly not getting any younger.
His experience could be crucial though and if the Baggies can sort out a financial package or cover his wages the he could be a really good option to have in the second half of the season - but Ismael may have his own ideas of what striker he wants.