West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich Albion boss Ryan Mason says he believes the club's current model of purchasing low-value players with a view to developing them for a higher resale price is only a temporary solution to resolve the club's financial issues.

The Baggies sold defender Torbjorn Heggem to Serie A club Bologna on a £10m deal on Friday, having purchased the Norwegian for just under £600,000 in July 2024.

Speaking to BBC Radio WM on Thursday, prior to the completion of the sale, the head coach was asked whether the 'Bilkul model' introduced when Shilen Patel took over the club in February 2024 was something he was made aware of when he arrived in June.

"I think it's more the context of our current situation and what we inherited as a club a couple of years ago in terms of the new ownership," Mason said.

"I don't necessarily believe that's the model, it's just a model we currently using to get us to a point where we can be better placed.

"If there's opportunities that arise in this period now where I can accelerate the process of getting us more stable on that side of it, then that can only benefit the club."

Listen to the full pre-match interview with Mason and more on BBC Sounds.

Wrexham host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (12:30 BST) hunting their first win of their Championship season as the Baggies eye another victory after grabbing all three points against Blackburn on the opening weekend.

Red Dragons manager Phil Parkinson praised Ollie Palmer after his two goals helped them beat Hull City on penalties in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday and revealed the player wants to stay, after his first competitive outing since February.

• This will be the first league meeting between Wrexham and West Brom, though the pair have met once before in the FA Cup, with the Welsh side winning 1-0 in January 1930.

• West Brom have won only one of their last seven away league games in Wales (D3 L3); a 1-0 victory at Cardiff City in November 2023.

• Wrexham have won their opening home game in five of their last six Football League campaigns with the only exception coming in 2023-24 (a 5-3 defeat by MK Dons).

• Following their 1-0 win at home to Blackburn on MD1, West Brom will be looking to start a league campaign with back-to-back victories for the first time since 2017-18 in the Premier League.

• In their opener vs Southampton, Wrexham goalkeeper Danny Ward made seven saves – the joint-most in a league match by a keeper for the club since they returned to the EFL in 2023-24.

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Manchester United midfielder Toby Collyer is on the verge of joining West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan.

The 21-year-old former Brighton academy player made 13 first-team appearances for United last season.

He also went on the club's pre-season tour of the United States this summer.

However, with increased competition for places in Ruben Amorim's squad, and no European football this season, the United hierarchy decided with Collyer it would be better to further his education away from Old Trafford.

Collyer has received a number of offers, including from Sheffield Wednesday, and it had not completely been discounted that he could move on a permanent basis.

But it has been decided a loan to West Brom is the most favourable option and Collyer is expected to complete the move imminently.

Steve Hermon
BBC Radio WM Journalist

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The sale of Torbjorn Heggem is clearly a huge loss to the heart of West Bromwich Albion's defence, however, it is the best example yet of the recruitment model that has been implemented under the club's owners, Bilkul, and led by their sporting director Andrew Nestor.

Outside of the club, practically nothing was known about the Norwegian defender when he arrived from Swedish top-flight side IF Brommapojkarna in July 2024.

Heggem cost under £600k and, fast forward 13 months, he is a Norway international and is going to be playing in Serie A after sealing a move which is worth in the region of £10m.

He was deservedly crowned the Baggies' player of the season after featuring in all but one of their Championship games in the 2024-25 campaign, and provided further proof of his credentials with a solid performance for his national team in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory against Italy during the summer - which may have alerted Bologna to his talents, although it is likely he was on their radar already.

Read more of Steve Hermon's analysis on Heggem's departure here.

West Bromwich Albion boss Ryan Mason said their Carabao Cup loss to Derby County was disappointing and felt his side were dominant on the night.

The game ended 1-1 when Joe Ward cancelled out striker Aune Heggebo's opener with a 96th-minute equaliser, with Derby going on to win the penalty shootout 3-2.

Mason insisted that there were a lot of positives to take into their game at Wrexham on Saturday (12:30 BST).

"It's not going to take away from the overall performance, there were lots of positives which we will take into Saturday," he told BBC Radio WM.

"I thought the performance of the team was really good, it's so frustrating we didn't win, we deserved so much more.

"On another day we come away two, or three-nil winners."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

Former West Bromwich Albion player Paul Peschisolido has been reflecting on his time at the club.

The Canadian made 45 appearances in the 1996-97 season, scoring 18 goals in all competitions for Baggies.

The ex-Birmingham City man played in the Black Country derby and the Second City derby during his time in England, and scored 118 goals in 447 appearances there.

"In terms of attacking prowess in that team, we were blessed, it was difficult for the manager at the time to select the front three," Peschisolido told BBC Radio WM.

"The week building up (to the derby's) was incredible, they were fierce, they were enjoyable. Living local always made a big difference.

"The atmosphere was just electric."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Isaac Price says the team will go into the next game with confidence after beating Blackburn 1-0 on the opening weekend of the Championship season.

Price netted the winning goal in the 15th minute on Saturday to give his side all three points, despite the Baggies ending the game with 10 men following Darnell Furlong's late sending-off.

Albion are next in action on Tuesday in the first round of the Carabao Cup (19:45 BST).

"First home game of the season you have to put on a good performance but the main goal is getting all three points," Price, 21, told BBC Radio WM.

"I've never been a person to set targets but I want to do what I can to make the team win, that's the ultimate goal for us.

"I want to play every game, I think the cup is just as important and we will go into every game with that mindset."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

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Ryan Mason could reflect on a 'pleasing day' to start the Championship season as West Bromwich Albion head coach.

In his first competitive game as a permanent boss, Mason watched the Baggies edge past Blackburn Rovers at The Hawthorns.

Mason has had two interims spells in charge of Tottenham but now he is tasked with pushing for promotion with Albion.

"The most important thing was to start the season at home with a win and we've done that in a good manner with a clean sheet, so it's a pleasing day," he told BBC WM.

"It's nowhere near the end product, we're literally six weeks into something but the thing we can guarantee is a togetherness, a willingness to fight for each other and we saw that and, more importantly, we felt that.

"We were good value for the win in my opinion and probably could and should have scored another to make it a little bit easier."

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West Brom defender Gianluca Frabotta has left the club before the start of the Championship season by mutual consent.

The 26-year-old left-back only made one start for the Baggies after signing from Juventus last summer.

He has left the Hawthorns in order to find a new club.

Frabotta signed a three-year contract last summer having made 18 appearances for Juve in Serie A and the Champions League.

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West Bromwich Albion boss Ryan Mason said that newly retired Kyle Bartley will "hopefully" still have a future with the Baggies.

The defender announced his retirement on Friday after struggling with a knee injury.

"He's been incredible for this football club, on the pitch and off it. He's a real leader, a real man," Mason told BBC Radio WM.

"He's got a great club here that are with him and support him and are going to be on this next chapter with him. Hopefully, he can still add something to this club."

Mason also confirmed that striker Josh Maja is fit and available for selection - though it is not a given the Nigeria international will feature in Saturday's match at home to Blackburn Rovers (15:00 BST).

"We know Josh's situation. He had a very long time out," Mason added.

"We are just trying to make sure we can get him to a point where he can help us throughout the season."

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West Bromwich Albion teenage midfielder Harry Whitwell has signed a new two-year deal at the club.

The 19-year-old made his league debut on the final day of last season in Albion's entertaining 5-3 victory over Luton Town.

He has been with the club since the age of 11 and signed his first professional contract in 2022.

Having started against Fleetwood for the first team in the Carabao Cup last August, Whitwell went on to register nine goals for the club's Premier League 2 team.

"I'm really happy to have the confidence shown in me by the club to give me another two years," Whitwell told the club website., external

"This will allow me now to have the security to push on at Albion this season and try and get first-team football, whether be here or on loan somewhere."

"I remember the scenes when he exited the field on the final day of the season against Luton. He applauded all four sides of the ground as he was substituted and a lot of people then thought that was a farewell.

"You have to wonder if Kyle Bartley, in his mind, had this decision then?"

BBC Radio WM's Steve Hermon reacts to defender Kyle Bartley's retirement after seven years with West Bromwich Albion.

Listen to the full analysis and more on BBC Sounds.

Former Tottenham Hotspur coach Ryan Mason makes his league debut as West Bromwich Albion boss when the side host Valerien Ismael's Blackburn Rovers on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Mason was appointed in June for his first permanent managerial role, having previously been caretaker for Spurs during his seven-year coaching career at the Premier League club.

Though his first game will be a tricky one, with Rovers boss Ismael all too familiar with the Hawthorns' patrons after a seven month spell with the club during the 2021-22 season.

• West Brom have lost just one of their last seven home league games against Blackburn Rovers (W3 D3), though that sole defeat did come in last season's meeting at the Hawthorns (0-2).

• Blackburn Rovers have lost just one of their last seven league games against West Brom (W3 D3), keeping clean sheets in both their matches vs the Baggies last season.

• West Brom have lost on the last two occasions their first league game of the season has been at home, with this the first time they're playing at the Hawthorns on MD1 since 2020-21 (0-3 v Leicester).

• Blackburn have won their opening league match in each of the last four seasons, though is the first time they're playing away from home on MD1 since a 3-2 loss at Bournemouth in 2020-21.

• Blackburn boss Valerien Ismael's only previous meeting with his old club West Bromwich Albion was a 2-2 draw with Watford in September 2023.

Tony 'Bomber' Brown
Former WBA striker and BBC WM summariser

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Baggies record scorer and BBC Radio WM's Albion summariser Tony 'Bomber' Brown looks ahead to the new season as West Bromwich Albion get their 2025-26 campaign under way on Saturday, as they welcome Blackburn Rovers to The Hawthorns (15:00 BST).

There is nothing like the apprehension that comes with the first game of the season. From the dressing room to the training ground, there is truly nothing like it,

The opening game really is the first opportunity Ryan Mason will get to see what his team is like. As a head coach, you can play as many pre-season games as you'd like but you only see your true players when the season is under way.

In football, you live and die by your goalscorers, that never changes. Last season we struggled in that part of the pitch, especially after the injuries we had.

After Josh Maja got injured, Albion's form was never the same, he was such a huge miss. His relationship with Tom Fellows was brilliant, the pair had such a good understanding.

If you have got one or two players in the squad to be able to help with a couple of goals, it is incredibly important. It's impossible to rely on just one striker, you need two or three people in the team who can contribute.

Isaac Price is someone who has very good potential and from what I have seen so far, he can certainly help chip in with a few goals this season. He is someone who finds space in midfield and that is where he gets his goals from.

From a former player's point of view, if he can get himself a little bit more disciplined with his shape setting up defensively, he can do a big job for the club, not just with goals but overall as a player.

I used to be similar to him when I started my career, wanting to get forward all the time, but you become a better all-round player by doing the defensive work as well.

He is a young lad with a great career in front of him, fantastic ability and a good strike on him as well, so I am hoping he is going to help going forward.