West Brom have had many players come and go over the last two decades, which has contributed to their ability to compete in either of the top two divisions of English football.
Over the last two decades, Albion has competed against some of the best names in the Premier League or challenged at the top end of the Championship, as well as enjoying a successful eight-year period in the top flight from 2010 to 2018.
Towards the end of Tony Pulis’ tenure, Albion secured the permanent acquisition of Belgian international Nacer Chadli, who joined The Hawthorns in 2016 for a reported £13 million from Tottenham Hotspur.
Coming in as one of the Baggies’ most expensive ever acquisitions, great expectation simmered around the now-35-year-old’s arrival, with supporters holding hope that he may be the crucial player to aiding the Black Country team achieve European football.
Ultimately, it didn’t pan out that way for the playmaker, with the former Spurs man having spells of inconsistency and injury concerns that disrupted his tenure and ultimately led to the team returning to the Championship just a year after his arrival.
For the money spent on his services, West Brom didn’t get close to being rewarded on the faith put in him, with the midfielder not living long in the memory as far as the Albion supporters are concerned.
Nacer Chadli’s struggles at West Brom
Nacer Chadli, who was estimated by Capology to earn £55,000 per week on his deal at West Brom, had a successful first season in the Midlands, staying fit and making 31 appearances for the team.
Chadli made a fantastic home start, scoring two goals and providing two assists in a 4-2 thrashing of West Ham, demonstrating to Baggies fans his potential.
Goals against Sunderland, former employers Tottenham would follow in October 2016, but Chadli would have to wait until February 2017 to score again, this time against the Hammers.
The Belgian would set up goals against Stoke City, Bournemouth, and Arsenal, totalling five goals and five assists as Tony Pulis’ side finished in the top half of the Premier League.
It was a respectable rookie campaign for Chadli, who was widely expected to take off the following season. However, it proved disappointing for all involved, as the attacking midfielder suffered a series of injuries that limited him to only five appearances for the Baggies throughout the season, with his only goal coming against Leicester City in October 2017.
Albion greatly missed the offensive and creative presence he provided in the number 10 position, and when he returned for the final two games of the season, he was unable to steer the side out from the relegation zone, and the Baggies were relegated to Championship football.
Chadli left the Hawthorns in the summer of 2018 after the club was relegated, signing a three-year contract with Ligue 1 side Monaco.
Chadli scored six goals and assisted five times in 36 appearances across two seasons, with a significant chunk of Albion’s cash going to a player who struggled to stay on the pitch.
Nacer Chadli signing was a waste of valuable West Brom resources
If West Brom had a playmaker who was more reliable in terms of fitness, the club might not have been relegated to the Championship in 2017 and could still be in the Premier League today.
For such a large transfer fee and wages, the Baggies received nothing close to the investment made, which would have been especially frustrating given the club’s financial struggles under Chinese businessman Guochuan Lai.
Despite showing promising glimpses in his first season, the signing of Chadli was ultimately a gamble that didn’t come off, and was one of the leading factors to Albion’s demise and return to the second tier, with the club still feeling the effects of the relegation
