Ryan Mason’s first West Brom signing should be Spurs attacker – He could thrive at the Hawthorns
Ryan Mason is set to be named as the new manager of West Bromwich Albion, and there is one player with whom he’ll already be familiar who he should be making his first target.
West Bromwich Albion seem set to announce Ryan Mason as their new manager.
Albion have been looking for a new permanent manager since sacking Tony Mowbray in April, and the highly-rated Mason has already been reported as being set for talks with the club.
If/when he arrives at the Hawthorns, the new manager will have a lot of work to do. West Brom finished the 2024/25 season in a slightly disappointing ninth place in the Championship, four points from the play-offs, and in a relatively low-scoring division more goals will help to elevate his team.
However, there’s one young player who’s made a few waves in the EFL this season who he should be looking at very closely indeed.
Jamie Donley proved himself at Leyton Orient in 2024/25
Jamie Donley spent the 2024/25 season on loan from Tottenham with League One side Leyton Orient.
He made national headlines in February over an audacious long-range shot which gave his team the lead against Manchester City in a live, televised FA Cup Fourth Round match.
Donley has already been subject to an international tug-of-love, following his decision to switch international allegiance from England to Northern Ireland earlier this year.
The 20-year-old spent the 2023/24 season in the Spurs first team squad, making three Premier League appearances, but was sent on a season-long loan to Leyton Orient last summer.
He was a key component in Orient’s leap into the League One play-offs this past campaign, which ended in heartbreak with defeat to Charlton Athletic at Wembley.
But, his contribution to an excellent season will not have gone unnoticed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Donley could provide the goals that Mason and Albion need
As a Spurs coach, Ryan Mason will already be plenty aware of Donley’s merits and attributes.
He was, after all, appointed the club’s head of player development (U-17 to U-23) in August 2020, before moving on to become a first-team coach after impressing Antonio Conte.
Donley’s contribution to Orient’s 2024/25 season will not have gone unnoticed, and like many teams in the Championship last season, West Bromwich Albion need goals.
They scored 57 in 46 League matches during the 2024/25 season – just 1.24 per match – and Donley’s eight goals for the Orient last season was more than anybody bar Josh Maja managed for West Brom.
It’s true to say that this young forward is untested at Championship level, but he’s played in the Premier League for Spurs and has demonstrated his worth in League One.
By making a quick decision over his signature once his feet are under the table at The Hawthorns, Mason could be giving his new team an excellent chance of scoring the goals that could power them up the Championship table next season.
With attacking midfielder Grady Diangana also set to leave the Baggies as a free agent this summer, signing Donley could also prove to be a youthful and quality replacement for the 27-year-old DR Congo international.
