West Brom linked with German defender Holger Badstuber
By James Reeve
Reports have emerged recently linking West Bromwich Albion with German defender Holger Badstuber, who has recently parted ways with Bayern Munich.
According to the Birmingham Mail, free agent Badstuber is high on the Baggies‘ wish list with the impending departure of Jonny Evans to Leicester City.
The 28-year-old stands at 6-foot-3 and is capable of playing as both a centre back or out on the left side of the defence, making him a flexible target for West Brom.
He was once a regular starter for German giants Bayern, but in recent seasons has suffered some injuries and found himself pushed further down the pecking order by players such as Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels.
As such, he spent time on loan to Schalke 04 last season – making 10 Bundesliga appearances for the club.
During his brief stint there, Badstuber averaged 1.2 tackles, 2.6 interceptions and 2.8 clearances.
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He won 1.7 aerial challenges per match and completed and impressive 91.2% of his passes – averaging almost 58 passes each game.
West Brom’s team is beginning to look thin, with Evans potentially leaving and Gareth McAuley unlikely to be around for many more seasons.
Badstuber would be the ideal player for the club to bring in, with his height being a positive for Tony Pulis’ side – particularly when it comes to set pieces.
Badstuber is also a strong passer of the ball and contributed 6.1 long passes per match last season, giving West Brom plenty of options when playing out from the back.
He has 119 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern Munich under his belt and his experience at such a high level will no doubt be an appealing factor for the Baggies.
His injury his is a slight concern, with Badstuber failing to make more than 12 league appearances since before the 2012/13 season.
A move away from his homeland could be the fresh start he needs to reinvent his career, which looked very promising in his early days.
He has also picked up 31 caps for Germany in his career, showing the potential he has as a player.
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With no transfer fee required to sign him, this could be a win-win situation for West Brom, and bringing in a player that could have a positive impact on the team’s defence seems like the best thing to do.
If he can stay healthy and perform to the standard he has shown he is capable of, then Holger Badstuber could be a steal for the Hawthorns club.