West Bromwich Albion have been starved of any credible transfer links in recent months, likely due to their apparent financial issues and the manager turnover.
Steve Bruce fought hard to maintain his job before eventually receiving his notice, and Carlos Corberan then had to act quickly to turn around what was a sinking ship.
The Baggies were marooned in the relegation zone, and January transfers were likely the last thing on their mind.
However, having masterminded three wins on the run and crawled to brief safety, now the new boss can look to add recruits with the pressure less intense.
That has seen reports emerge linking the Midlands outfit with a return to Corberan’s old club, seeking out Jon Russell of Huddersfield Town as the man in demand.
With a contract expiring at the commencement of this season, Lai Guochuan could swoop to sign this combative midfielder for a cut price in January.
Would you take Jon Russell at West Brom?
This move would help bolster their midfield tenfold, with the 22-year-old offering a physical presence married with fine technical ability.
However, adding this 6 foot 4 titan could spell the end for stalwart Jake Livermore, who has seen his playtime somewhat dwindle throughout the season.
The 33-year-old has completed a full 90 minutes just three times this season.
Meanwhile, Russell played an instrumental role in the Terriers’ push for promotion last season, breaking into the team for the second half of the season where he would play every minute of their last 15 Championship games, losing just twice.
Boasting a rating of 7.03 throughout that campaign, he would average an 87% pass accuracy whilst making 1.3 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 1.0 clearances per game (via Sofascore).
This is a vast improvement on the 0.9 interceptions, 0.8 tackles and 0.4 clearances per 90 minutes made by Livermore this season (via Sofascore).
The impressive nature of the 22-year-old Jamaican machine has led to praise from all angles, with his teammate Romoney Crichlow dubbing him the “Yorkshire Busquets” in a comment on his Instagram.
To earn such a comparison will be flattering for the London-born ace, as the Spanish legend boasts a trophy cabinet consisting of a World Cup, a European Championship, three Champions Leagues and numerous domestic Spanish titles too.
Should Russell bring even a slither of similar success to the Hawthorns, or at the very least a promotion back to the Premier League, this transfer would certainly be deemed a success.
