Nigel Quashie reacts as Taylor Gardner-Hickman leaves West Brom in loan-to-buy move to Bristol City
Taylor Gardner-Hickman leaving West Brom on loan will do him “the world of good” knowing “he’s trusted” to play, according to Nigel Quashie.
The former Baggies player reacted on Twitter Wednesday morning (23 August) to the confirmed news the night before that the versatile Albion youngster had gone to Championship rivals Bristol City for the season, calling it “important” for the 21-year-old’s development after a “stop start” time at The Hawthorns.
Gardner-Hickman is the latest departure from the squad amid financial pressures with only Jeremy Sarmiento on loan from Brighton and Josh Maja on a free transfer coming in.
The youngster made 57 senior appearances over the previous two seasons in all competitions but had only featured for nine minutes in the Championship so far this term under Carlos Corberan.
There is a permanent option in his Bristol City loan deal.
Departures were inevitable during the current transfer window as soon as the club’s accounts painted such a bleak picture during the back end of the previous campaign.
Since last season West Brom have now seen Gardner-Hickman, Karlan Grant and Kean Bryan make loan moves, Tom Rogic, Jake Livermore and David Button released, and Dara O’Shea sold to Burnley, but there could still be more to go before the deadline.
Nathaniel Chalobah and Grady Diangana are both in line to leave still [Darren Witcoop, 22 August] as Corberan looks for space on the wage bill to bring new players in.
In the circumstances it might be argued that the squad hasn’t been gutted in the insurmountable manner that mayhave been feared, and while it is clearly going to be an uphill battle the manager still has enough to work with, especially if he can land a few late deals.
But the Baggies are cutting it fine with just over a week to go before the transfer window shuts, unless they are expecting to pick up some obscure free agents after 1 September.
Gardner-Hickman leaving, especially if it becomes permanent, is a disappointing development when his emergence had been one of the bright spots during the miserable Steve Bruce reign, but if he isn’t set to be central to Corberan’s line up this season there is currently no space for sentimentality.
The final week of the window is going to be key in terms of possibly shifting some more players from the periphery as the manager seeks to land some new signings.
