West Bromwich Albion are now very keen on signing an “incredible” defender who has experience at the very highest level, according to a report.
Mason’s arrival marks start of new era at the Hawthorns
West Brom’s 2024-25 campaign ultimately petered out, with Tony Mowbray being dismissed just three months after his arrival, having failed to build on the foundations laid by Carlos Corberan.
However, the appointment of former Tottenham Hotspur coach Ryan Mason marks the start of a new era for the Baggies, with reporter Steve Hermon claiming the board have made a “brave” decision by replacing Mowbray with a manager who has no Championship experience.
At just 33-years-old, Mason is certainly young for a manager, but the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler and Germany boss Julian Naglelsmann have proven that experience isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to being successful.
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Ryan Mason is wasting no time in looking to strengthen his new West Brom team.
Despite a poor end to the 2024-25 campaign, Albion finished just four points adrift of the Championship play-off places, which suggests Mason may not need to ring the changes this summer, but he will certainly be looking to put his own stamp on the squad.
According to a report from The Athletic, West Brom are now showing strong interest in signing Liverpool defender Nat Phillips, who is attracting the attention of a number of second-tier sides after impressing on loan at Derby County.
Derby boss John Eustace has confirmed he would like to sign Phillips on a permanent basis, with the defender’s time at Anfield surely coming to an end, having not featured for the Reds in the Premier League since the 2022-23 campaign.
“Incredible” Phillips impressed Klopp during Liverpool spell
Perhaps most memorably, the Bolton-born defender featured regularly for Liverpool during the 2020-21 season, at which point Jürgen Klopp was having to deal with an injury crisis.
Ultimately, the Reds managed to seal qualification for the Champions League despite the injury issues, and Klopp was left impressed by some of the £45k-a-week centre-back’s performances, particularly catching the eye during a 2-1 win against West Ham United.
Speaking after the match, Klopp said: “He’s a brilliant guy, smart guy, intelligent, everything. He’s not easy on the eye, he’s not Messi but who cares? In the air, he’s a monster! He was incredible.”
Since then, the 28-year-old has arguably gone on to find his level in the Championship, but he has continued to impress in the air, placing in the top 1% for aerials won per 90 over the past year, when compared to other defenders in similar leagues.
Phillips, who has seven Champions League appearances to his name, could be an excellent signing for West Brom this summer, and the hope will be that he is available on a permanent basis, having not been a part of Liverpool’s plans for a number of years.
