West Bromwich Albion have succeeded in their efforts to complete a last-ditch deal for Southampton striker Adam Armstrong, with the forward agreeing to join on loan until the end of the season.
West Brom had a stressful wait to see if the deal would be approved by the EFL after submitting paperwork at the last minute on Monday evening, but it has finally been processed, allowing Armstrong to reconnect with former boss Tony Mowbray.
Armstong previously played for Coventry City and Blackburn Rovers under the new Baggies manager, scoring 58 Championship goals between 2017 and 2021. His brilliance at Ewood Park earned him a £15 million move to St. Mary’s, but after struggling to find goals in the Premier League, he is now returning to the second tier in a move that should boost West Brom’s chances of securing a play-off spot.
The club has now announced Armstrong’s arrival, with a statement welcoming the forward to the Hawthorns posted on Tuesday afternoon, with sporting director Adam Nestor stating that Armstrong is “an ideal fit for our squad and very much suits our established style.”
Baggies get boost as they look to bounce back
According to deadline day sources, West Brom were interested in loaning Armstrong to fellow Championship promotion candidates Leeds United and Sunderland, but the financial aspects of the move proved to be an insurmountable stumbling block.
That changed in the closing hour of the transfer window, when West Brom secured a deal for the Newcastle United youth graduate just in time for EFL permission.
With West Brom suffering for form recently, having won only one of their past six matches in all competitions, Armstrong’s arrival will provide a timely boost to their chances of returning to the top division for the first time in four years. Armstrong scored twice against West Brom in last year’s play-off semi-finals, helping Southampton clinch promotion to the Premier League.
Armstrong might make his Baggies debut on Saturday, when they host tenth-placed Sheffield Wednesday in the Midlands. West Brom currently holds the final play-off spot, but they are just ahead of Middlesbrough on goal difference.
Deadline day ends with flurry of deals for West Brom
Armstrong joins West Brom as their fourth and final acquisition of the January transfer window, following the arrivals of teenage Danish attacker Tammer Bany, Tottenham Hotspur loanee Will Lankshear, and Northern Irish midfielder Isaac Price from Standard Liege.
Bany, a 21-year-old forward who can either play on the wing or as a number ten, joined on deadline day from Danish Superliga side Randers for £3.3 million on Monday. The new signings should greatly increase the Baggies’ firepower as they prepare for what will undoubtedly be a tight and difficult struggle for promotion to the Premier League.
West Brom suffered a deadline-day setback when first-choice custodian Alex Palmer joined Ipswich Town on a permanent basis, but they have recalled Josh Griffiths from a productive loan spell at Bristol Rovers to fight with Joe Wildsmith for the number one jersey.