Liverpool figure becomes "frontrunner" for West Brom job | OneFootball

Johnny Heitinga is believed to be in the frame to succeed Carlos Corberan at The Hawthorns.

West Bromwich Albion are eyeing a move for Liverpool coach Johnny Heitinga.

This is according to the Daily Mail, who believe the Baggies view him as someone who can guide them back to the Premier League following a multi-year absence.

Albion are on the prowl for a new boss following Carlos Corberan's exit, with the Spanish coach moving back to his home nation to take up the top job at Valencia.

It previously looked as though the Baggies were going to hold on to the 41-year-old beyond the end of the Christmas period, with Southampton favouring a move for Ivan Juric over him.

Once Juric had been appointed, a lot of Albion fans were able to breathe a sigh of relief. But that was premature, with Valencia pushing hard enough to secure Corberan's signature.

With the club still having an opportunity to finish in the top six at the end of the season, Shilen Patel and other key figures at The Hawthorns may be keen to have a new permanent boss in place as quickly as possible.

But they are prepared to look both at home and overseas to appoint a new manager, and are happy to pay compensation to lure a coach away from their current club, according to the Express and Star.

West Brom keen on Liverpool coach Johnny Heitinga

The Reds, under Arne Slot, have made a magnificent start to the season and look to be firm favourites to win the Premier League title at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

Assistant first-team coach Heitinga has clearly played a role in that - and he is now believed to be one of the frontrunners for the Albion job.

This is according to the Daily Mail, who have reported that the Baggies are huge admirers of the Dutchman, and believe he could be the man to guide them back to the top tier of English football.

And judging from what the Express and Star have reported, they have no issues paying compensation to the Reds for his services.

It doesn't feel like the next appointment will be make-or-break for Patel and others, but it feels like an important one.

This could end up setting the tone for the remainder of their spell at The Hawthorns - because their next manager could have a big say on their trajectory.

Corberan was doing a sterling job in the Midlands and with this in mind, it may be difficult for his successor to follow in his footsteps.

However, someone like Heitinga could be a good appointment, even though some would see it as a bit of a risk considering he hasn't managed in the Championship before.

If he is appointed and does well, the board will be lauded by fans.