West Brom's ideal Tom Fellows replacement is Calvin Harris | OneFootball

West Brom's ideal Tom Fellows replacement is Calvin Harris | OneFootball

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Football League World

·18 November 2024

West Brom's ideal Tom Fellows replacement is Calvin Harris

Article image:West Brom's ideal Tom Fellows replacement is Calvin Harris

Colorado Rapids attacker Calvin Harris performs similarly to Tom Fellows. The Englishman could be a shrewd replacement should Fellows depart.

West Bromwich Albion's young attacker. Tom Fellows is bound to be of interest to Premier League clubs in January. The winger has notched five assists in the Baggies' opening 15 matches, putting him joint top of the Championship assist chart.


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With Everton reportedly keeping tabs on the Albion hotshot, Carlos Corberan will have to face the potential of finding an adequate replacement for Fellows. This scouting mission could see the West Midlands club analyse many different players, from all across the world, as they hunt to find a suitable player to fill the void.

Whilst the MLS is often seen as a place where players go in the twilight of their careers, there is still some highly exciting talent emerging from the United States. One of those is English winger, Calvin Harris, who has broken into the first team at Colorado Rapids. The 24-year-old could be of interest to the Albion, as according to FBref, Harris' stats are the most comparable to Fellows' stats.

Fellows turning heads from higher up

Article image:West Brom's ideal Tom Fellows replacement is Calvin Harris

It's no secret that Fellows is an integral part of Corberan's team. The 21-year-old is the creative spark that has propelled West Brom into a battle for promotion. He and in-form Josh Maja have formed a formidable attack which has been crucial in securing results for the Baggies.

Despite this, West Brom have only scored 16 goals in their opening 15 matches this season, which is quite a lot less than their promotion rivals. Supporters will be understandably worried if Fellows is to depart in January, as taking their main creator out of the equation could have serious implications on a team that is struggling to score lots of goals.

The youngster's form has earned him a call-up for England Under-21s in the latest international break, which has only raised his stock even higher. The Baggies managed to keep hold of their prized asset in the summer, despite reported interest from Southampton and Ipswich Town. But as Fellows' fine form continued, the interest in the Premier League hasn't cooled.

The latest reports suggest that Everton and Newcastle United are the two clubs who've recently registered their interest in signing the West Brom hotshot. It seems clear that the winger is destined for the top, but will need to be careful with his next move, to not hinder his development.

Everton has been touted as a 'stepping stone' for the young attacker, should he move to Merseyside. The Toffees have been hit-and-miss this season, but are beginning to haul themselves away from the relegation zone. Adding a young, creative attacker to Sean Dyche's side could be the injection of quality the Blues need to take themselves to the next level, whilst offering Fellows enough game time to show his ability.

Calvin Harris - The English winger living the American dream

Article image:West Brom's ideal Tom Fellows replacement is Calvin Harris

The name Calvin Harris is a well-recognized one all across the world, but it's not the one that we're talking about. English winger, Harris, who shared the same name as the Scottish music producer, has spent his entire career overseas, paving his way to success.

He made his first steps in his football career in Hong Kong and New Zealand, playing in the youth setup at Hong Kong FC and Wellington Phoenix. His progress in New Zealand was held back though, as FIFA rules stated that the attacker was unable to play in any competitive matches for Phoenix until the age of 18. A move to the USA came, as Harris linked up with Wake Forest College, joining their Demon Deacons team.

After two successful years at college, Harris signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer, before the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. Harris was picked by FC Cincinnati in the draft, being selected second overall by the Eastern Conference side. The exciting star made 24 appearances over the course of two seasons for Cincinnati before being shipped off to Colorado Rapids in December 2022.

2024 has been Harris' breakout season with the Rapids, as he featured 32 times for the club, helping them reach the play-offs. Despite falling to a heavy defeat to LA Galaxy, Harris certainly caught the eye with his good performances and talent as a wide playmaker.

Still only 24, there is plenty of room for improvement ahead. Now the Middlesbrough-born man has experienced a consistent level of playing time in the MLS, he could look to move on to his next challenge.

Harris could be West Brom's ideal Fellows replacement

As mentioned above, Corberan and his staff will be braced for a wave of interest in Fellows come January. Behind the scenes, preparations will be well underway for this moment and a list of potential replacements will be drawn up.

Albion must target someone similar to Fellows, who will bring creativity to the wide areas. Losing their star creator will have massive implications on a team that has already struggled to score as many goals as their close rivals. This could be where Harris comes in, as according to FBref, the Colorado winger has the most comparable stats to Fellows.

In the modern era of football, where data is often a driving force behind many decisions, Harris could find himself under consideration thanks to his similarity to Fellows. The two have very similar pass completion rates, with Harris coming in at 75.4% and Fellows at 78.1%. Both players have also been involved in six goal-creating actions respectively.

There are also some areas where the Colorado man exceeds his West Brom counterpart. His progressive passes are far higher than those of Fellows, comparing at 42 to 9. The Baggies will be looking for someone who is always looking to find the key pass in an attacking move, which Harris' stats suggest is one of his strongest qualities.

If the unthinkable does happen in January and Fellows moves on, Harris could be an excellent replacement option. The 24-year-old's qualities are very similar to those the current Albion star possesses, and he offers a really shrewd option as a potential replacement.

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