West Brom: Brandon Thomas-Asante replacement must prove doubters wrong - View | OneFootball

West Brom fans will be hopeful that Devante Cole can transfer his League One form into the Championship.

West Bromwich Albion will be hopeful that they can repeat last season's trick and secure a spot in the play-offs once again this term.

Carlos Corberan performed somewhat of a minor miracle for the Baggies, as he led them to sixth place in 2023-24 without spending a single penny on a transfer fee.

Although it was hoped that this window would see more free-spending, Albion have been unable to spend heavily due to PSR rules.

However, they have made a number of additions by signing free agents. One of these was Barnsley's Devante Cole, who penned a two-year contract at The Hawthorns earlier this summer.

Cole's arrival was met by the departure of Brandon Thomas-Asante, who joined Championship rivals Coventry City for a fee believed to be between £2 to £3 million.

This will have balanced the books nicely, but Albion fans will be wondering whether Cole will be able to replace the goals that Thomas-Asante provided last term.

Whilst Thomas-Asante wasn't heavily appreciated by Baggies fans, he scored a number of important goals and his tally of 12 in all competitions placed him as top scorer last season.

In a defensively-based side, this wasn't a bad return and his move to Coventry could see him flourish if they can create enough chances for him.

Stepping into his shoes, Cole will undoubtedly be hopeful that he can build on the Ghanian's return and a good season could see him be the difference maker for West Brom.

However, a concern will be that on his only previous visit to the division, he netted just one goal for Barnsley in 24 appearances, as he struggled to make an impact for the Tykes.

This is the polar opposite to his contributions in League One, where he has been prolific in the past two campaigns. In 2022/23, he managed 15 goals and last season he improved his tally, netting 18 in 46 games.

Albeit in the third tier, these numbers are strong and in both seasons he has managed to outperform his expected goals, suggesting he is strong at finishing his chances.

For this reason, the likes of Tom Fellows and Grady Diangana will have to ensure they're on top form to provide consistent service to the Jamaican.

With injury issues all too prominent for the likes of Josh Maja and Daryl Dike, a lot of the pressure may be forced upon Cole.

But, the striker seems to want the shoulder the responsibility and his interview with West Brom's media team showed his ambition for the season: "I'm really excited about being back in the Championship. It's been one of my goals to get back to the Championship as soon as possible, and I'm happy to be here.

"Coming off the back of a good season, it's hopefully bringing a lot of goals and hard work here. I'm confident that if I am in the team I can take the opportunity and I will score goals."

Speaking about the stage he is at in his career, Cole said: "This, for sure, is an opportunity for me to make my mark. I’m 29 now so this is a really big opportunity for me to kick on in the next few years.

“I think the fans can expect a lot of hard work from me. I haven’t really missed many games over the last few years.

“I’ll always do my best for the team, but on an individual level I’m quick, I’ll also look to score goals and I’d like to think I’m a threat."

Clearly, Cole has a great deal of self-confidence, and he will be looking to make an immediate mark on Saturday when the Baggies travel to Queens Park Rangers.