West Brom hit the jackpot with European star who made nearly 150 apps for the club | OneFootball

The Baggies secured the addition of Robert Koren on a free transfer back in 2007, and he offered tremendous value.

West Brom have secured many bargain transfers throughout their illustrious history.

Over the past 20 years, Albion have either had experience of fighting against some of the biggest names in the Premier League or competing at the top end of the Championship, with many of these types of signings helping them achieve this feat.

One sensational piece of business the Baggies conducted was the capture of Slovenian midfielder Robert Koren, who arrived at The Hawthorns in January 2007 on a Bosman transfer from Norwegian top-flight side Lillestrom.

During his time in the Black Country, Koren would provide tremendous value, wasting no time in making an immediate impression on the Albion faithful.

A first-team regular, the maestro would go on to be a crucial part of the West Brom squad over three-and-a-half seasons, with the Baggies hoping they can go on to replicate these types of moves in the near future.

Robert Koren’s impact at West Brom

After suffering relegation to the second-tier in the season prior to Robert Koren’s arrival, the Baggies were determined to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.

The midfielder settled into life in England immediately as a regular in the middle of the park alongside the likes of Jonathan Greening and Jason Koumas. He would go on to make 18 appearances in the Championship as West Brom secured a place in the play-offs.

Although the midfielder helped his side reach the final by providing an assist in the Baggies' second-leg victory over bitter rivals Wolves, he couldn't prevent his side from suffering a 1-0 defeat to Derby County at Wembley.

Undeterred by the disappointment, Koren played a pivotal role in West Brom's Championship-winning 2007/08 campaign, as he netted nine times from 40 appearances to help Albion return to the promised land of the Premier League.

Despite suffering immediate relegation back down to the second tier straight away, Koren would be an ever-present figure in the top-flight, registering 2,994 minutes across 35 games while netting twice and providing four assists.

The now 44-year-old would have one final season and recorded a second promotion on his CV, providing five goals and four assists from 34 Championship games under Roberto Di Matteo.

After helping West Brom realise their top-flight ambitions once again, the midfielder would remain in England but move on to Hull City, bringing to an end a hugely successful stint.

In total, Koren would go on to make 149 appearances in a blue and white shirt across the top two divisions, contributing 23 goals and 12 assists in that time, making him a much-loved figure in the West Midlands.

West Brom will hope to replicate Robert Koren-type deals in the future

For a free transfer, West Brom certainly got the most out of Robert Koren, who provided the quality and talent to compete at the top of the English game.

With exceptional vision to play defense-splitting passes and possessing the talent to add many goals to his game, Koren was an exceptionally well-rounded midfield player, with the recruitment team doing exceptionally well to pick out a top talent from overseas.

Albion need to be as shrewd as possible in future transfer markets after no longer receiving parachute payments from the Premier League, with Shilen Patel and Andrew Nestor keen on adding young and talented players from abroad to bolster Albion’s squad and continue to make the team competitive.