West Brom and Tony Mowbray can combat Maja, Dike concerns with Liverpool transfer decision | OneFootball

As Albion still suffer from a sincere lack of options in the forward department, Tony Mowbray could solve key concerns with this Liverpool youngster.

With the winter window approaching its business end, West Bromwich Albion and Tony Mowbray still have dealings to be done with urgent issues to address in the striking department.

Although West Brom's weekend demolition of Portsmouth saw Mowbray's rampant Baggies put five past the struggling South Coast side, it cannot conceal the key concern still at the heart of the Albion XI – the lack of depth in the number nine area.

After the shining light of Albion's season, Josh Maja, joined fellow frontman Daryl Dike in The Hawthorns medical room, the Black Country outfit lost their primary port of firepower who has contributed 12 goals already in the campaign, a number no other Baggie comes close to and a number that has to be supplemented if the side wishes to secure their play-off place.

Mowbray's side were still struggling for goals even with the Super Eagle in the side, ranking as the second-lowest scorers in the top six, but the loss of the Nigerian only makes the issue harder to address for the former Blues boss, who has made free-flowing scoring intrinsic to his philosophy.

The new Baggies manager has handed longer minutes to summer striker signing Devante Cole but his struggle to find his feet at The Hawthorns has kept this to a cameo capacity so the he has tried to look to other areas of the squad to fill the gap, recently using struggling skipper Jed Wallace in the number nine position.

Mowbray will be handed a boost in the coming weeks with Dike's year-long spell on the sidelines set to come to a close, but with the fragility and consistency of the American's injury spells, Albion cannot afford to rely on a player who has been absent for over 750 days since signing for the blue and white stripes.

A striker signing is essential and perhaps the most exciting candidate is Liverpool youngster Jayden Danns.

Top Premier League prospect would bring promise and combat Albion injury concerns

Danns was quick to make a mark on the senior stage after playing a part in Liverpool's 2024 Carabao Cup final victory against Chelsea, a match where the then-18-year-old offered glimpses of class and composure, causing problems against the Blues as the match extended into extra time.

After just a cameo appearance, the young forward could have very quickly been a name that was forgotten, however, it was just three days later that the Premier League prospect stole the headlines and cemented himself as one to watch.

In the Reds' fifth round FA Cup outing against Southampton, Klopp's kids ran riot against the second-tier side but it was the substitute Danns who caught the eye, scoring a brace in under 30 minutes of match action where he showed his clinical calibre in front of goal and poaching instincts, chipping the goalkeeper from close range, and smashing a rebound in the roof of the net.

The 19-year-old once again showed his class in this year's FA Cup, coming off the bench to quickly net against Accrington Stanley in a move the striker creatively set up and was rewarded with a rebound following up from a Liverpool effort.

Danns' profile as a powerful runner with poaching instincts in front of goal could prove perfect for Mowbray's philosophy of football who would look to let the Liverpool youngster off the leash, and the striker's intelligence in the build-up phase would also be an effective substitute for West Brom's injured Super Eagle.

Mowbray's reputation could prove key in securing the striker's services

With Liverpool circled by considerate second-tier interest in the striker, the Baggies were handed a major boost should they choose to pursue the forward after Stoke City announced the temporary addition of former Albion target, Ali Al-Hamadi.

The Potters were one of the sides keen on Danns – with FLW exclusively revealing that Blackburn Rovers, Hull City, Oxford United and Preston North End were also in the queue while Derby County and Millwall have scouted him, and Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle have been linked as well – but Al-Hamadi's arrival would seem to rule Mark Robins' side out.

Slot has refused to rule out the possibility of Danns leaving but Albion could well have an advantage should they join the chase.

With Mowbray considered one of the finest in developing young footballers, Liverpool could be swayed after seeing the evidence of his man-management, such as with Manchester United winger Amad Diallo.

Diallo has undoubtedly been the Red Devils' shining light in a struggling season, with the Ivorian international registering nine goals and seven assists thus far, a feat all the more surprising considering the forward's failings to find his feet at Old Trafford for two seasons.

But after a year with the Black Cats, Mowbray unlocked the promise of potential inside the Ivorian, who netted 14 times in the red and white of Sunderland and recently expressed his affinity for his former boss.

Telling Sunderland's official website, Diallo stated: “Tony is like my dad. He gave me the opportunity to show what I can do on the pitch. I want to thank him and everyone at the club because they were part of the project to help develop me."

Whether Mowbray will be afforded the same opportunity with Danns in developing a Premier League prospect into a franchise figurehead remains unknown, but the marriage of the clinical calibre of the forward with the Baggies' boss' man-management could prove key as Albion adjust to life without Josh Maja, and more importantly, look to cement their place in the play-off positions.