Prediction made on West Brom signing Southampton ace Adam Armstrong permanently | OneFootball

Football League World's Baggies Fan Pundit has weighed in on his side's chances of signing the striker on a permanent deal.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

West Bromwich Albion's hopes of finishing in the play-off places were hit hard on Tuesday evening after they were beaten 2-1 by an in-form Bristol City side at Ashton Gate.

Haydon Roberts' last-minute winner secured all three points for the home side, as Liam Manning's side pushed themselves up to fifth in the Championship table, while the Baggies continue to sit in eighth, with Millwall breathing down their necks.

Tony Mowbray has found it tough to keep pace with the top six in recent weeks, with the defeat to the Robins his team's third in a row, while they have failed to win in their last five matches in the league.

Performances have not been good enough during this time from West Brom, with goals being conceded which should not have gone in, and a lot has been left to be desired going forward - particularly with one January transfer window signing.

Verdict made on West Brom's chances of signing Adam Armstrong permanently

The Baggies are running out of time to salvage their play-off hopes, and with teams around them performing, it is starting to look more and more likely that they will be playing Championship football once again next season.

The addition of Adam Armstrong on loan from Southampton on deadline day was one that looked to be incredibly smart, with the striker working well with Mowbray while he was at Blackburn Rovers, but so far the move has not paid off.

With the Saints' relegation from the Premier League confirmed, Football League World has asked their West Brom Fan Pundit, Callum Burgess, if he believes a permanent deal for the striker is possible or not.

He told FLW: "When West Brom signed Adam Armstrong on loan, it seemed like the plan was that we'd have him for the second half of the season, and it'd be very unlikely we'd see him again after that.

"I can't really see Albion splashing the cash that would be necessary to sign Armstrong on a permanent basis.

"Southampton signed him for £15m a few seasons ago from Blackburn, and they'll probably want to recoup that fee or get one in a similar region, and I can't see us spending that amount of money on someone, let alone Armstrong."

Callum continued: "While I do still rate him and I think that he can eventually turn out good for us, he's not stepped up during his time at The Hawthorns so far, although I definitely think he can come good if we play to his strengths for the rest of the season.

"So, I can't see Armstrong staying on a permanent basis."

Armstrong's goal output has not been good enough

With just two goals to his name in 11 appearances, Armstrong has not been the Josh Maja replacement that West Brom have needed in their hunt for a top six finish and they should not pursue a permanent deal in the summer.

Southampton may have plans of their own for the forward after his excellent campaign with them in the second tier last season, and therefore he may come at a costly price if the Baggies plan a move for him.

Other targets must be looked at in the summer, and finding the correct player for Mowbray's system is a must for a play-off place to be achieved in 2025/26 if they are to miss out this campaign, rather than trying to shoehorn in a striker who does not suit the style of play.