There is certainly a strategy to West Brom’s recruitment these days under sporting director Andrew Nestor, and Manchester United loanee Toby Collyer is a prime example.
While the Baggies remain mid-table in terms of the average age of their squad – Watford the youngest and Wrexham the oldest – summer additions like young Collyer have helped bring about an injection of exuberance in a squad who have shifted out a boatload of experience.
Darnell Furlong, Grady Diangana, John Swift, Semi Ajayi and Kyle Bartley all said their goodbyes.
But, although the likes of Alex Mowatt and Jed Wallace remain key players and Charlie Taylor arrives on a free, Nestor insists that signings such as 21-year-old trio Isaac Price, Tammer Bany and the aforementioned Collyer are a reflection of the direction West Brom want to go in.
Price is relishing the freedom of Ryan Mason’s system, scoring goals for fun at the start of the new campaign.
Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City wanted Toby Collyer before the Baggies won the race for an athletic, industrious but technically-sound central midfielder with real pedigree and potential. Bany is expected to make his mark in the coming months too, once the £3.3 million signing from Randers recovers from a hamstring injury which has limited his involvement so far.
Baggies badge - West Bromwich Albion v Crystal Palace - Premier League
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Andrew Nestor explains why West Brom signed Isaac Price, Toby Collyer and Tammer Bany
And, speaking via the Express and Star, Nestor is confident that West Brom now have three of the best midfielders in the entirety of the Championship in Price, Collyer and Bany.
Not only that, ambitious, hungry talent yet to fulfil their vast potential is something the Hawthorns faithful should get used to seeing a lot more of in windows to come.
“I think we’re certainly a bit more athletic. There’s more pace, as well as an ability to get the ball up the pitch quicker,” Nestor explains, Price, Collyer and Bany all impressive physical specimens as well as eye-catching technicians.
"I think there's renewed hunger to succeed within the squad and as a club as a whole." 🗣️
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“I also think there’s renewed hunger to succeed within the squad and as a club as a whole. In terms of the players themselves, we’ve continuously lowered the average age of the squad. But it’s the right type of balance as well.
“We have plenty of veteran leadership. We have guys in their prime, and we also have young players mixing in. Some of those young players are players we rate among the best in the league in their position, whether it’s Isaac Price, Tammer Bany or Toby Collyer.
“These types of players are 21-years-old and they can already contribute to the first team. I feel like we’ve struck a good balance of players that are really hungry to come in here and succeed, good leadership on the pitch and the ability to sustain throughout a really gruelling season.”
Aune Heggebo, Samuel Iling-Junior and Alfie Gilchrist suit Baggies’ transfer strategy
Only Josh Sargent, Carlton Morris, Haji Wright and Victor Torp have more goals after five matchdays than former Everton starlet Price. Collyer has made a trio of cameo appearances off the bench, meanwhile, with Mason taking the ‘if it isn’t broke’ approach.
West Brom have 12 points from a possible 15 so far, after all.
Alfie Gilchrist and Samuel Iling-Junior, having arrived from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively, join Price, Collyer and Bany in the ’21 club’. Aune Heggebo is hardly a veteran either, at the age of just 23.
And while the Norwegian hitman is yet to open his Championship account, EFL expert Ali Maxwell was impressed by the way Heggebo ragdolled Wrexham’s Conor Coady during that Price-inspired 3-2 win at Wrexham.
Aune Heggebo celebrates during West Bromwich Albion v Derby County - Carabao Cup First Round
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Nestor excited by progress under Ryan Mason
The Baggies face Derby County at home when club football resumes after the international break.
“I’m pleased with the results and I feel like everything went as planned,” adds Nestor, who was appointed West Brom’s sporting director in 2024. “This was a plan three windows in the making.”
“We started last summer, looking at what we inherited, where the squad was at, what we would need to achieve to rebalance the squad, bringing in players that really fit the model that we want to see out on the pitch and also how to make sure we do that in a way that’s compliant with what our financial needs are.
“In January, we were able to invest in a couple of attackers and then in the summer, hit the ground running with our new signings. I think it’s really helpful that we were able to bring in some of the new signings early in the summer, and we’ve already seen some of our new players have an impact on the pitch in our first four league matches.”