The dream XI West Brom could build

West Bromwich Albion boss James Morrison is currently in the midst of his first ever summer transfer window as a manager after landing the role on a permanent basis.

This is his first permanent senior posting as a manager and that brings with it a whole new challenge for him, as he has to build a squad that is capable of pushing for promotion from the Championship.

The Scottish boss has already moved to bring in Barney Stewart from Falkirk and Jimmy-Jay Morgan from Chelsea on permanent deals to bolster the attack, but there is more work to be done to create an XI that can aim for the top eight next season.

The goalkeeper and defence

Despite Max O’Leary penning a new contract at The Hawthorns, the Baggies could sign a new number one after recently being linked with a move to bring Alex Palmer back from Ipswich Town.

After Ipswich’s promotion to the Premier League, it remains to be seen whether or not he will be available on a permanent or loan transfer because he only started ten matches in the Championship.

Palmer kept 29 clean sheets in 76 matches in his last 18 months in the second tier with the Baggies and could return to be the new number one for Morrison.

One addition that could be made to the back four, meanwhile, is the permanent signing of Danny Imray, as John Percy reported that the club would like to bring him back after his five-month loan stint.

That would leave Morrison with a backline of Palmer, Imray, Nat Phillips, George Campbell, and Callum Styles as the first-choice selection for next season.

The midfield

After Ousmane Diakite put pen to paper on a new contract with the club recently, there may not be much to change about how the team looks in the middle of the park.

Diakite, Jayson Molumby, and Alex Mowatt are a solid set of central midfield options, whilst Isaac Price and Morgan could compete for the number ten role.

Based on their respective performances at league level in the 2025/26 campaign, the former Chelsea youngster may even emerge as a better option for Morrison as a starter in the number ten role.

That could mean that the manager’s first-choice midfield consists of Molumby and Diakite in the pivot with Morgan in the number ten role, with further attacking signings allowing him to transition to a 4-2-3-1 system.

The wingers and strikers

The arrival of Stewart, who scored 18 goals in all competitions for Dunfermline and Falkirk combined last season, means that West Brom have competition up front with him and Aune Heggebo.

However, the Baggies need more competition in the wide areas because they lack natural width on the right and the left, beyond the injured Mikey Johnston.

Motherwell forward Elijah Just, who scored three goals at the World Cup, was recently suggested as someone the club should target this summer for a fee of £3m, and he would be a dream addition to the squad on the right flank.

After producing seven goals, seven ‘big chances’ created, and seven assists in the Premiership for Motherwell in the 2025/26 campaign, he could finally replace Tom Fellows as a left-footed right winger at The Hawthorns.

On the other flank, the Baggies have been linked with a £3m move to bring Reyes Cleary back to the club from Barnsley, 12 months after they sold him to the League One side.

The English youngster racked up seven goals and 13 assists in the third tier last season and could return to the club to be more productive than any of Morrison’s current attackers as a left-sided forward.

After scoring just 48 times in 46 Championship games, signing two productive wingers in Just and Cleary could give West Brom the lift that they need in the final third.

Overall, Morrison could make four more additions to his best XI, spending at least £6m, without knowing how much Palmer or Imray could cost, to push for promotion next term.

West Brom’s dream starting line-up: Palmer; Imray, Phillips, Campbell, Styles; Diakite, Molumby; Just, Morgan, Cleary; Stewart (4-2-3-1)