West Brom identify Chelsea goalkeeper Nathan Baxter as potential transfer target. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)
According to TEAMtalk (h/t Birmingham Mail), West Brom have identified Chelsea goalkeeper Nathan Baxter as a potential transfer target ahead of the next season. He is currently out on loan at Hull City, where he has impressed this campaign so far.
Baxter was loaned out to the Tigers at the start of this term, and the deal seems to have fared well for all the parties involved. His performances have been so noticeable that West Bromwich Albion have turned their attention toward him. They are looking for a replacement for Sam Johnstone, who is nearing the end of his contract this summer.
Johnstone has attracted interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, and he seems set to leave after this season. David Button is also out of contract, although Steve Bruce is optimistic about a renewal. In this time of uncertainty, Bruce’s side have decided to pursue Baxter to safeguard their interests.
Baxter is currently contracted at Stamford Bridge until 2023, which means that we could only get a decent sum for him this summer if an extension cannot be agreed upon. As such, the interest from the Baggies certainly favours us, although it remains to be seen if he is willing to renew his deal with us or not.
What’s more, with the Tigers themselves showing an interest in signing the Blues loanee permanently, we could be in line to see a transfer tussle next summer. If that is the case, then we could potentially expect a cash windfall this summer if the club ending up parting ways with him.
However, a sale should only be facilitated after carefully assessing our future plans. Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga offer quality and depth in the shot-stopping position, but questions can be raised against whether Kepa would be willing to continue to be just a second-choice keeper moving forward.
Thomas Tuchel recently revealed how he is set to undergo “honest” talks with Arrizabalaga regarding his future prospects this summer. While we are not sure about the end outcome, the fact of the matter is that Kepa is too good and too expensive to be just a backup goalkeeper.
Perhaps, it is time for Baxter to play as an understudy, which is certainly feasible considering how the former has earned six clean sheets from 14 matches this season across all competitions for Hull. Hence, it could be wise on our part to renew his contract and reject all approaches from the interested parties.
The goalkeeping situation surely makes way for an interesting couple of months as we near the summer transfer window. Let’s wait and see what stance will the West London side take regarding this matter in the future.
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