This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to the Daily Mail, Championship side West Bromwich Albion are one of many clubs taking a look a non-league ace Ronald Sobowale after his prolific start to the season.
But he may not necessarily be the answer to their striking department woes.
What’s the word?
The reports suggest that the Whyteleafe striker, who is the cousin of Bayern Munich star David Alaba, is being tracked by Premier League clubs Watford and Leicester City.
He is currently undergoing a trial at league rivals Middlesbrough while Fulham also hold interest in the 22-year-old.
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It is not the first time he has been in this situation as the forward has frequently been handed opportunities to impress over the last year or so for clubs like Cardiff City and Barnsley, where he scored in matches for both teams.
Sobowale was part of the same Chelsea setup as Tammy Abraham and Dominic Solanke but was let go because of his size, resulting in a drop to the depths of non-league.
So far this season, he’s netted ten goals in 11 matches for the Isthmian League South East side, who play in the eighth tier of English football.
Won’t atone for £12m blunder
By the time Alaba reached the age of 22, he was well established amongst the Bayern Munich ranks, whereas his cousin has been forced down the English pyramid to revive his career.
He may well have finally hit red hot form, but the fact that he hasn’t secured a move anywhere despite numerous trials speaks volumes.
Sobowale has even scored in those trials, yet the clubs involved do not pursue it any further.
Baggies boss Slaven Bilic splashed £12m between Charlie Austin (£4m) and Kenneth Zohore (£8m) in the summer with them only returning the three goals between them, so a striker is definitely needed.
But whether or not this non-league star is the answer remains to be seen, it would be a monumental risk considering the level of football he’s played at.
