West Brom fans will love what Raphael Wicky has already signed off on.

Raphael Wicky is alleged to have praised West Brom’s recruitment strategy and youth investment ahead of his probable arrival at The Hawthorns.

West Brom’s managerial search is nearing completion, with Wicky confirming the formalities of his appointment as the new Baggies head coach [Sky Sports]. The Championship play-off contenders have been without a manager since Carlos Corberan’s departure before Christmas, but Wicky appears to be the chosen one, and fans should be encouraged about the deals he has already signed off on. Speaking on The Liquidator podcast [12 January], BBC journalist Chris Lepkowski said: “He’s highly interested in the young setup. He wishes to see investment in that.

“He’s got total buy-in, or declared total buy-in, into the process that informs the recruitment system that we know is going to be integral to the club, now that we’ve had the takeover in recent months.”We know how they want to do things: they want to find players. Wicky approved of that. I believe he has seen that this is a solid squad, but it does have flaws.”

Recruitment will be integral for West Brom under Raphael Wicky

While Wicky is relatively unknown in England, he shares a trait with many other managers in that he requires support from players that fit his style of play. The most recent update shows that the Baggies will do just that, which appears to have played a significant factor in his supposedly imminent hiring. As Lepkowski noted, there are vulnerabilities in the squad that need to be addressed, but the foundation of the club is very strong, and as long as those worries are addressed, West Brom have a good opportunity of sustaining their ambitions for a play-off berth.