West Brom rivals Watford sign 18-goal star

West Bromwich Albion head coach James Morrison must use next summer’s transfer window to improve the attacking quality of his team.

The Baggies have scored just 48 goals in 46 games in the Championship this season, finishing 21st in the division, and need to score more if they want to go up.

They have already been linked with moves for new players to strengthen their options, including Southampton’s Ben Brereton Diaz and Barnsley striker Reyes Cleary, who came through the ranks at The Hawthorns.

West Brom will compete with a number of Championship clubs to sign players for promotion next season, including rivals Watford.

Both the Hornets and the Baggies could be in the market for similar players as they look to bounce back after disappointing 2025/26 campaigns where they finished below the top six.

Why West Brom and Watford both need to sign new midfielders

West Brom and Watford should both be in the market for new central midfielders when the summer transfer window officially opens later this month.

No Hornets star has hit double figures in the Championship this season, with Udinese loanee Luca Kjerrumgaard leading the league with nine goals.

Therefore, they should look to bring in a new midfielder who can score regularly to push them into the playoffs next season.

West Brom may need a new striker because they have already released Daryl Dike and they are still talking to Josh Maja and Karlan Grant, whose contracts expire at the end of June.

There is a chance that Grant and Maja could still leave The Hawthorns and that could mean Morrison will be the three strikers headed for the window.

Now, both clubs have already been linked with a move for a striker who has the potential to emulate one of the EFL’s greatest strikers, Jordan Rhodes.

West Brom and Watford could sign new Jordan Rhodes

The former Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich City, and Blackburn Rovers player is one of the best and most consistent goalscorers to grace the second tier of English football.

Rhodes scored 123 goals in the league and won promotion to the Premier League with two different clubs, finished second with Middlesbrough and won the title with Norwich.

West Brom and Watford are both believed to be interested in Falkirk forward Barney Stewart, who could follow in the Scottish international’s footsteps.

This Premiership bowler is very similar to Rhodes in that he was born in England, but has decided to represent Scotland at world level, playing in the U20s.

He is also like a former Championship goal machine because he has shown great promise as a goalscorer this season, while also showing that he is able to adapt to new levels of football.

Stewart spent the first half of the season on loan at Dunfermline and scored eight goals in 12 games, including six goals in 11 games for Scouts, before being recalled by Falkirk.

The 22-year-old went on to score 10 goals and two assists in 21 games for Falkirk, including eight goals in 17 Premiership games, taking his tally this season to an impressive 18 goals. Rhodes had six career seasons with 18 or more goals.

Stewart has risen from the Championship to the Premiership to deliver goals regularly, scoring eight goals in the top flight from an xG of 7.82, and that has caught the attention of Watford and West Brom.

He is an up-and-coming young striker who looks set to become a consistent goalscorer, given his form for both Dunfermline and Falkirk, which is why both clubs should do their best to sign him.

Stewart is on the verge of becoming the new Rhodes of the Championship as he could be a deadly goalscorer who goes on to lead Scotland to world class, despite being born in London, and West Brom and Watford will both be hoping he works for them.