BBC Sports: John Swift benefit mooted at West Brom if Grady Diangana leaves.

This post is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which features personal comments from FLW Fan Pundits on breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings, and more.

If star playmaker Grady Diangana agrees to join Celta Vigo in the last days of the winter transfer window, John Swift is expected to play a larger role in Tony Mowbray’s West Bromwich Albion squad.

In terms of fresh arrivals, the Hawthorns has been relatively quiet this month. Mowbray made an emotional return to the club earlier this month following Carlos Corberan’s departure to Valencia, but has only made one signing to date, Isaac Price from Standard Liege, while Caleb Taylor is the only departure, returning on loan to Wycombe Wanderers for the remainder of the season. Albion are in fifth place and are in contention to finish in the top six for the second consecutive season, so Mowbray will be eager to keep the core of his squad moving into the second half of the season. However, he may have to make do without Diangana, who has earned interest ahead of a potential exit from the West Midlands.

Celta Vigo’s transfer interest in West Brom’s Grady Diangana

It would not be surprising if Diangana left the club in the following days. The promising 26-year-old is out of contract in the summer and has reportedly turned down a new three-year contract with the Baggies in favour of a transfer elsewhere. Diangana is also alleged to have rejected a contract offer from Championship rivals Burnley, who wanted to sign him on a free transfer for next season, with the playmaker reportedly intent on joining Celta Vigo.

According to reports, the former West Ham United attacker has’reached an agreement’ with the La Liga club, leaving Albion and Celta Vigo to negotiate a contract. The Baggies are wanting roughly €3 million (£2. million) for Diangana, and it is unknown if the player’s Spanish suitors intend to pay that amount up front or wait six months to acquire him on a free transfer in the summer. The four-cap DR Congo international has had a turbulent four-and-a-half-year spell at Albion, but is currently in great form following a rough start to the season.

Diangana has been favoured by new manager Mowbray thus far, and he guided their 5-1 victory against Portsmouth last weekend, scoring two goals and providing two assists. Losing a player as skilled as Diangana would be a significant blow to the play-off hopes, make no mistake. However, it may create more possibilities for others to seize, with fellow midfielder Swift potentially being elevated in the team.

The seasoned midfielder has started 13 of his 26 Championship games this season, with Diangana receiving the nod in his preferred offensive midfield position in recent weeks.

John Swift backed for bigger West Brom impact if Grady Diangana joins Celta Vigo

FLW asked our Baggies fan pundit, Callum Burgess, if he thinks Diangana’s likely departure will assist any players in particular at the club. Callum feels Swift and a number of academy prospects will be given a chance, comparing the outcome to Tom Fellows’ first-team debut after Brighton and Hove Albion recalled Jeremy Sarmiento last season. “You would imagine the exit of Grady Diangana would open the door for John Swift to be the starting attacking midfielder for the rest of the season, although he did have a great performance on Saturday starting in a deeper role alongside Alex Mowatt,” Callum told FLW.com.

“You would expect it would only happen against some of the division’s relegation-threatened teams, so I don’t think that’s a long-term strategy. So it could pave the way for Swift to start more consistently, as well as some players coming through the academy, such as Harry Whitwell and Ollie Bostock, who, if Tony Mowbray believes they are ready, could get more first-team minutes, and we could see someone break through into the first-team, as we saw with Tom Fellows last season.

“He only got better and better after Sarmiento got recalled, so one step back could lead to an opportunity for another if Diangana does leave.”

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