West Bromwich Albion have been handed a transfer boost as the summer window officially opened, with Aston Villa omitting Conor Hourihane from their retained list.

The Irishman's current contract at Villa Park expires at the end of this month and he is now set to be released.

Hourihane has been linked with a move to The Hawthorns this summer, with Baggies boss Steve Bruce looking to strengthen his side after a disappointing second half of the campaign.

As per Football Insider last month, Bruce has set his sights on Hourihane, with their sources stating that the club had registered their interest in the player.

Hourihane has previous ties with the Baggies boss, with Bruce being in charge at Aston Villa when the 31-year-old left Barnsley to join the club in 2017.

A move to the Championship would be familiar to Hourihane, given that he has spent the last two seasons out on loan in the division.

In 2020/21, the Republic of Ireland international spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Swansea City, making 24 appearances for the club as they reached the Championship play-off final.

For the 2021/22 season, Hourihane was loaned to Sheffield United, where he spent the season at Bramall Lane, making 30 appearances in all competitions.

The midfielder did struggle for starts, though, with just half of his 30 appearances coming in the Blades' starting XI.

The Verdict

With West Brom not having a lot to spend this summer, as per Steve Bruce himself, this is the sort of deal the club should be all over.

They have already got John Swift through the door on a free, and to add Hourihane on another free transfer would represent excellent business.

Despite struggling for starts at Sheffield United, he did begin to start more as the season progressed and hit the crunch stage, demonstrating that he is a player that can be trusted when it matters most.

If the Baggies are serious about challenging for promotion next season, snapping Hourihane up now that he is officially a free agent could be a wise move.