29-year-old must regret West Brom transfer - It could have been so different | OneFootball

West Brom striker Devante Cole must be regretting his move to The Hawthorns after an unsuccessful start.

West Brom were very active in Shilen Patel’s first summer transfer window, aiming to balance the books as the club works its way through financial difficulty.

Working alongside the EFL to avoid breaking Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), Albion had to be shrewd about their business to build a competitive squad to once again push for promotion out of the Championship.

Bolstering the group, the Baggies ended up recruiting 13 new faces to The Hawthorns, using free transfers and loan deals as a way of recruitment while selling high-earners at the club for minimal fees.

This eased the financial pressure on the Black Country outfit, while giving the coaching staff enough tools to make another break for a top six place after defeat to Southampton in last season’s play-off semi-final.

One arrival last summer was forward Devante Cole, who joined from League One outfit Barnsley on a free transfer.

The 29-year-old was seen to be competition for Josh Maja after netting 18 times in the third tier last season, but it’s been a term to forget in blue and white so far, and the frontman is sure to have regrets about making the move to the West Midlands already.

Devante Cole record at West Brom

After hitting goalscoring form for the Tykes, many believed Devante Cole was ready for the step-up to the Championship and would add goals to the top end of the pitch for the Baggies.

However, it’s been anything but, with Cole failing to record one league start yet for the club, earning just 122 minutes of action across the 12 games he’s been involved in. Cole has also been an unused substitute or not involved with the squad on 16 occasions.

With those figures, the frontman has unsurprisingly not recorded an attacking contribution yet for his new side, struggling to make an impact in the few minutes he’s been called upon for.

It’s been a far cry from his spell last term in Yorkshire, and Cole must be wondering what he can do to earn more gametime in the West Midlands.

There is potential hope under new boss Tony Mowbray, however, with Cole having a fresh opportunity to impress after the 61-year-old replaced Carlos Corberan.

However, in their midweek defeat to Middlesbrough, the former Sunderland coach elected to use Karlan Grant in the number nine role, with Cole getting just 12 minutes from the bench to showcase what he can bring to the team.

From this, the Cheshire-born forward will be concerned his fortunes won’t change even under a new regime.

Devante Cole must reignite his career away from West Brom

With two weeks still remaining of the January transfer window, Devante Cole must do everything he can to secure a loan move away from the club, in order to get his career going back in a positive direction.

Albion have a priority to recruit a new striker in the absence of Josh Maja, so Cole is unlikely to be rated by Tony Mowbray and is set to continue with a bit-part role off the bench.

At 29, that’s not what Cole needs, and there should be plenty of suitors in the EFL who will fancy securing his services with his previous track record.

Teams in the lower end of the Championship may be interested in offering him secure minutes, while teams towards the top end of League One would be hopeful that he could replicate his 18-goal season in the third tier last year.

There will be options for Cole if he is made available for a move, and he must consider his future very carefully if he wants to remain a presence at the top levels of English football.