Carlos Corberan will be aiming to finally win promotion up to the Premier League as a manager with West Bromwich Albion next season, having experienced the sour taste of play-off agony twice now with both the Baggies and at former employers Huddersfield Town.
West Brom getting knocked out in the semi-final stages last season definitely still stung for the Spaniard, but he has also experienced the deep sorrow of a defeat at Wembley in a Championship play-off final, losing 1-0 to Steve Cooper’s Nottingham Forest back in 2022 to deny the Terriers top-flight football.
If all goes according to plan, one of that dejected Huddersfield gang might even get back in touch with Corberan.
West Brom interested in move for £1m rated star
The Baggies could reunite their manager with one of his ex-Terriers stars in the form of Sorba Thomas this summer, with the Welsh winger itching for a move away from the John Smith’s Stadium after his side’s relegation down to League One.
Yet, even as Michael Duff’s men now stare third-tier football in the face, they will not be easily intimidated into getting rid of Thomas for a low price, with Nixon further stating that a £1m price-tag has put above the 25-year-old’s head which West Brom might view as too steep.
This could allow for FC Nantes to race to the front of the queue and land Sorba’s services instead, with West Brom only paying one fee for an incoming so far this transfer window, as the Baggies continue to operate as wheeler dealers in the market.
What Thomas would offer West Brom
With no Matt Phillips now at Corberan’s disposal, West Brom need more reinforcements down the right wing to keep the likes of Tom Fellows and Grady Diangana on their toes.
Therefore, West Brom might just have to break the bank slightly in order to land Thomas at the expense of their French competitors, with the Welshman champing at the bit to link back up with Corberan again.
The 25-year-old attacker was even purchased by the Spaniard from non-league Boreham Wood when the Baggies boss was still occupying the dug-out in West Yorkshire, with the best patch of form of his career to date coming under his watchful eye.
Described as “sensational” by pundit Ali Maxwell, Thomas would amass three goals and 16 assists during the 21/22 season for Huddersfield in all competitions, which ended in the ultimate disappointment of play-off heartbreak, before struggling the season after Corberan’s departure, with just six assists managed and zero goals scored.
With a whopping 19 big chances created during that same campaign, Thomas is the Terriers’ assist king from many set-pieces. Players like Kyle Bartley and Brandon Thomas-Asante will love to accompany Thomas onto the Hawthorns field knowing that he can put chances on a plate for them to power home.
He will also cover for the departure of the aforementioned Phillips, who during his lengthy Baggies career was renowned for his ability to place a killer ball into the danger zone. Phillips totaled 31 assists from 255 West Brom matches.
Capable of scoring a crucial goal, as Phillips did with this late effort against Watford in 2016, and having scored four goals for Huddersfield last season despite a strained relationship with the West Yorkshire team, this could be a deal that works well for all parties if a move is approved.
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