West Brom Albion signing £15m flop who’s now worth less than Maja

West Bromwich Albion made a significant mistake with this transfer blunder. Despite their recent poor form weakening their hold on a Championship playoff position, they remain optimistic that this season could still lead to promotion to the Premier League.

The Baggies have only managed to secure one victory in their last six games in the division, and that 2-0 win against Rotherham United was somewhat fortuitous, especially considering one of the goals came from a contentious penalty call.

However, Carlos Corberan’s team is determined not to let their position in the top six slip away entirely. They are eager to make a return to the top flight, something they haven’t achieved since dropping out of the elite league at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Although the prospect of facing teams like Manchester United and Arsenal regularly brings back fond memories, it is overshadowed by the numerous transfer blunders the Baggies have experienced. One of the most notable missteps was the £15m purchase in 2017, which is widely regarded as one of the club’s worst transfer mistakes.

Oliver Burke’s transfer to West Bromwich Albion was highly anticipated six years ago, as he arrived at the Hawthorns with a hefty price tag of £15m, having shown promise during his time at Nottingham Forest.

However, the deal turned out to be more beneficial for RB Leipzig, who managed to offload a disappointing player for a significant sum. Burke struggled to make an impact in Germany, only managing to score one goal and provide two assists in 26 appearances, a far cry from the expectations set when he left Forest.

Despite his initial success at Forest, where he scored six goals in 31 games and attracted attention from top clubs, Burke’s transition to Leipzig did not yield the expected results, leading to disappointment for both the player and West Bromwich Albion.

Yet, much like his time out in the Bundesliga, Burke would flop even on his return to English soil with the Baggies to make that £15m splashed out by the West Midlands club look like a colossal waste of money.

Oliver Burke’s time at West Brom
The ex-Forest man would struggle in a West Brom strip throughout his three-season stay at the Hawthorns, amassing just 24 appearances over that time span with a meagre five of those managed over his last two campaigns.

Burke would be as goal-shy as he was out in Germany in the Midlands, only finding the back of the net once in action for the Baggies against Luton Town in the EFL Cup during his up-and-down debut season.

His pay packet whilst with West Brom would also have troubled the club’s finances further, with Burke costing the Baggies £1.3m in wage costs alone during his disastrous stint on top of the transfer fee fee originally forked out.

Oliver Burke’s current market value has significantly dropped to £1.6m as per Football Transfers, reflecting his struggles at his latest club, Birmingham City.

Despite being unexpectedly included in Birmingham’s recent match against Rotherham United, which sparked controversy on social media, Burke’s performance was subpar, leading to his substitution after just 45 minutes.

There is hope that Burke, once he overcomes his recurring injury issues, can contribute significantly next season for Carlos Corberan’s team, providing stiff competition for Brandon Thomas-Asante in the attacking role.

On the other hand, Josh Maja, the former Sunderland striker, has also faced challenges, managing just one Championship goal before sustaining a season-ending injury in late December. However, his potential shouldn’t be discounted.

Burke’s future at Werder Bremen seems uncertain, with the Bundesliga club not showing strong interest in the 27-year-old following his disappointing spell at Birmingham City.

If West Bromwich Albion secures promotion to the Premier League through the playoffs, they must exercise caution in their spending to avoid repeating past expensive mistakes.