West Brom sign Ipswich striker and Southampton gem – according to wild January transfer window prediction

West Brom sign Ipswich striker and Southampton gem – according to wild January transfer window prediction

West Brom could look to bolster their squad in January after a promising start to the season

West Brom boss Ryan Mason has claimed that small details made the difference in his side’s most recent 2-1 loss to league leaders Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. The Baggies conceded a first and second half goal from a set piece scenario and left it too late to mount a comeback after Aune Heggebo’s consolation header in the 90th minute. It means West Brom are now on a two-match losing streak after being unbeaten in their opening four league fixtures.

However, they still remain in seventh position, level on with sixth placed Coventry City, and still only two points behind the automatic promotion places. West Brom have been encouraging on the whole in the early weeks of the season but perhaps lack a slight bit of star quality, particularly after Tom Fellows’ late summer move to Championship rivals Southampton.

With that in mind, we asked Chat GPT to predict who West Brom might target in the winter to boost their squad, as well as the players that could potentially be sold to other clubs.

West Brom sign Southampton wonderkid in January rebuild

West Brom are expected to try and bolster their defensive options with a move for Southampton youngster Ronnie Edwards, according to Chat GPT. Edwards signed for the Saints in 2024 for a reported £3m after impressing at Peterborough United and showed signs of promise during a loan spell at Queen Park Rangers last term in the Championship. He’s played two matches so far under Will Still but could be available on loan to continue gaining experience.

Similarly, Ali Al-Hamadi of Ipswich Town could also be a target. The former AFC Wimbledon forward has struggled for minutes at Portman Road this season and could be available on loan. This comes amid criticism surrounding the early output of new striker signing Aune Heggebo and doubts around Josh Maja’s future and his recent injury record.

Al-Hamadi, who won promotion in 2024, has only played 11 minutes of league football across the opening five matches, and has been left out of the squad entirely during the last three matches. His only start came in a 1-1 draw with Bromley in the League Cup before his side ultimately lost out on penalties.

West Brom could look to offload a number of stars on the cheap

West Brom could be at risk of losing a number of key stars for free in the summer of 2026. One of those could well be last season’s top scorer Josh Maja.

The former Sunderland frontman has scored 13 goals in 41 matches in total but is due to become a free agent next summer. He’s seen as an important part of the team’s plans but could be sold for a cut-price figure rather than a free if the club can’t agree to an extension in the near future.

Injury-hit striker Daryl Dike, formerly of Orlando City, also finds himself in a similar scenario along with forward Karlan Grant and potentially winger Jed Wallace, who has been club captain since 2023.