West Bromwich Albion fans are strapped in for another promotion-chasing season at the Hawthorns, as the well-respected Carlos Corberan aims to steer the Baggies to another finish near the top of the Championship table.
The West Midlands side clinched a playoff spot last season, but would ultimately come unstuck at the semi-final stage to eventual winners Southampton, with the aim now to avenge this disappointment and finally return to the Premier League at the end of this long and gruelling campaign.
It will be a tough ask, with the Baggies showing some chinks in their armour already with two Championship losses next to their name, but the passionate Spaniard on the sidelines will know he can rely on the likes of Kyle Bartley and Josh Maja to help his team in their ongoing promotion push.
Bartley and Maja's importance to West Brom
Whilst many of the West Brom old guard departed the club this summer for pastures new, Kyle Bartley stuck by his Championship employers and remains one of the first names on his manager’s team sheet for good reason.
Yet to miss a minute of action this season so far, the former Arsenal youth product turned accomplished second-tier defender is crucial to the dogged Baggies back four, having picked up five clean sheets from nine league games played as a titan-like presence.
Even when West Brom aren’t at the races, the determined 33-year-old still shines, with an impressive eight duels won away at Sheffield Wednesday as his team fell to a surprise 3-2 defeat.
Whilst Bartley tries to make Corberan’s men as staunch as possible defensively, Josh Maja has the opposite to do in attack, in trying to be the bright spark that clinches wins with goals finding the back of the net.
He has been just that for the West Midlands side so far this season, starting as he meant to go on with a hat-trick on the opening day against Queens Park Rangers, with a ridiculous seven strikes then picked up from seven before firing some unexpected blanks against Middlesbrough.
Both players will be key for Corberan’s men going forward as they strive to go one better than last season and shoot up to the Premier League, but find that their wages are actually lesser than one Baggies player currently, who has struggled for game-time in contrast.
Diangana's wage at West Brom
According to Capology, West Brom winger Grady Diangana rakes in a hefty £20.3k-per-week wage for the 2024/25 campaign, which sees him earn more than both Bartley and Maja consequently.
The centre-back and the striker only take home a lesser £15k-per-week and £17k-per-week respectively, when weighed up next to Diangana’s healthier pay packet, despite being picked week in week out by their manager.
Stat
Diangana
Games played
6
Games started
1
Minutes averaged
32 mins
Goals
0
Assists
0
Going the other way, it’s been an extremely stop-start campaign so far for the Congolese forward, who is only averaging 32 minutes of action per league clash so far this season as his injury issues begin to pile up.
With the emergence of Karlan Grant down the left wing too, who has a goal next to his name this season as a resurgent presence, on top of the fact Mikey Johnston is also back at the Hawthorns, Diangana could find his minutes are infrequent even when he is back up to full speed.
The “unbelievable” West Brom number 11 – as he was once labelled as by Baggies teammate Jed Wallace – is capable of terrorising second-tier defences on his day, with 21 second-tier strikes on his career CV.
But, it does feel as if his powers are waning in the here and now, with Diangana now worth just £1.3m according to Football Transfers, when he once cost the West Midlands side an eye-watering £18m.
When back at full sharpness, he will be a useful body to have around the building for a promotion charge, but with his contract up next summer, his time with the Baggies could come to an end soon.
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