West Bromwich Albion have already taken an unusual approach to their transfer business this summer.
While most Championship fans are familiar with Nathaniel Phillips, Aune Heggebo is a lesser-known figure. West Brom have paid £4.7 million on the former Brann goal machine, hoping he would succeed in England.
It remains to be seen whether Heggebo will be a huge success in England, but his scorching goal record in his native Norway is certainly exciting to watch.
Why Heggebo could succeed at West Brom
After all, Erling Haaland is infamously from the same country, and the towering attacker is now one of the most dangerous strikers in world football after beginning his career in Scandinavia.
Of course, no one expects Heggebo to burst into his new environment and be as clinical as the Manchester City star, but there are clues that he may be a lethal finisher at the Hawthorns if he can navigate the step-up well.
In total, Brann would score 51 goals in 146 games for a fee of £4.7 million, with the Eliteserien club undoubtedly fighting hard to retain their star player around for longer.
Unfortunately, while £4.7 million is a large sum to spend, West Brom’s extravagant spending has been somewhat obscured by nearby rivals Birmingham City often flexing their muscles.
Across the Midlands, the £10 million spent on former Celtic attacker Kyogo Furuhashi around the same time has undoubtedly sent a message to the division’s top clubs.
However, the Baggies could return to the spotlight if they can complete another out-of-the-blue transaction, with a fresh target possibly becoming Ryan Mason’s very own Kyogo if all goes as planned.
West Brom’s Response to Kyogo
Before becoming a feared goal threat with 85 goals to his name at Celtic, Kyogo would have been regarded as a risky signing by the Hoops, given that the Japanese jewel had only ever played in the comforts of the J League before Glasgow came calling.
West Brom could try to enter the Asian market with their next summer signing, with reports earlier this month indicating that the Championship club bid £1.1 million for Jeonbuk Hyundai forward Jeon Jin-Woo.
| Jin-Woo’s numbers in South Korea vs Kyogo in Japan | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat | Jin-Woo | Kyogo |
| Games played | 163 | 182 |
| Goals scored | 32 | 66 |
| Assists | 20 | 36 |
| Sourced by Transfermarkt | ||
Jin-Woo may possibly follow in Kyogo’s footsteps in establishing himself as a top-tier threat while making the same difficult geographical leap, having scored an impressive 52 goals in Korea for both Jeonbuk and his former employer Suwon Bluewings.
The new Birmingham signing was able to more than double Jin-Woo’s goal tally while playing for Vissel Kobe, but the two-time South Korea international will undoubtedly feel less nervous about moving to the Baggies now that he knows others have moved to the UK and thrived in difficult environments.
To support the 25-year-old even more, Mason will have Heggebo ready for selection in attack, who will be keen to get started in his new environment.
It remains to be seen how well West Brom will perform next season, with Mason also a rookie manager after their daring summer business, but Jin-Woo could become a firm fan favourite at the Hawthorns if he can excel in the English game to the same lofty heights Kyogo achieved in Scotland.
Leave a Reply