West Bromwich Albion Launch Bid For Promising Ligue 1 Midfielder: Potential Masterstroke By Pardew?

West Bromwich Albion are really struggling in the Premier League this season and under the tutelage of their new manager, Alan Pardew, the troops must enhance the quality of their performances if they are to refrain from falling into the clutches of relegation. The Baggies are placed at the 19th spot in the league table and some sort of resurrection is the call of the hour.

With the January transfer window pretty much active, Pardew must be absolutely shrewd in his dealings and at the same time, use the money of the club judiciously. As per one of the recent reports, Albion have placed Marseille’s midfielder, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, on their radar and it is also understood that they have tabled a substantial bid of £16.5million to sign him.

West Bromwich Albion have let the opposition breach their defence quite easily and it is of paramount importance for Pardew to tighten the screws. Anguissa is a central defensive midfielder by trade and would be an ideal asset for them. He was developed by the youth setup of Reims and after showing his prominence with the second side of Marseille, he was promoted to their senior side.

So far this season, the 22-year-old has been handed 15 Ligue 1 appearances by the Phocians, whilst which he has made 2.8 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per game on an average which is certainly very decent. Besides, he has also enhanced his experience while playing in the Europa League as well and he has shown immense maturity and calmness, considering his age.

Tall, strong and powerful, Anguissa could add real steel and solidity in the middle for the Throstles. He is commendable in the air and makes shrewd tackles and interceptions more often than not and no wonder his stocks are so highly rated. Besides, he reads the game really well, showcases notable work-ethic and breaks down the attacking endeavours of the opposition with his astuteness and defensive awareness.

Albion have conceded 30 goals in 22 games so far and thus, their defensive loopholes certainly need to be addressed. By luring Anguissa to the Hawthorns, Pardew would be able to get a relatively young commodity who has immense potential and who could cushion the backline. The Cameroon international might not be a scorer of goals but he certainly has the calibre to shield his side and it would be intriguing to see whether this speculation materializes into a deal or not.

Statistics Credits: WhoScored