West Bromwich Albion have taken the decision to opt against renewing Romaine Sawyers contract because Steve Bruce wants to spend his wages elsewhere, according to the Express and Star.

The 30-year-old had become surplus to requirements at The Hawthorns last summer, with then-manager Valerien Ismael deciding to recruit Alex Mowatt and switch to a 3-4-3 formation, with Jake Livermore the other established starting option in the middle of the park under the Frenchman.

With this, Sawyers' loan move to Stoke City was sanctioned in August and it looked as though his time with the Baggies would be coming to an end this year, even with the West Midlands side having the option to extend his stay by an extra 12 months.

 

 

He then looked set to be provided with a lifeline when Steve Bruce arrived in February, with the 61-year-old even hinting last month that he would be looking to keep him beyond this summer.

However, it has now been revealed that he will depart The Hawthorns when his existing deal expires in under two months, leaving him free to enter contract talks with other sides after putting himself in the shop window during his spell at the bet365 Stadium.

The Express and Star believe this decision was taken because Bruce wants to spend funds elsewhere, with a rebuild on the cards at The Hawthorns.

The Verdict:

This is probably a wise decision from the Baggies even though they desperately need to address their midfield situation - because a shake-up is desperately needed in the West Midlands.

Molumby's permanent addition has added a long-term option in the middle of the park but they may want to recruit at least two more midfielders because they are still lacking depth in that area following the departure of Robert Snodgrass in January.

They should look to address this midfield issue with fresh faces though, with Joe Rothwell and John Swift two potential targets that could go a long way in addressing their severe shortage of quality in the final third.

At this stage, they need more attack-minded players in their midfield to support the likes of Daryl Dike and Karlan Grant, two players who could get themselves in and amongst the goals regularly next season.

And if they can stay fit, with Rothwell and Swift potentially joining, their attacking record will improve massively. Considering their defensive record wasn't bad during the 2021/22 campaign, tweaks to their attack could potentially allow them to force their way into the play-offs.