West Bromwich Albion have finally started to become somewhat active in the transfer rumour mill, following months of radio silence as they struggled under Steve Bruce.

With Carlos Corberan masterminding the turnaround, the Spaniard led them on a triumphant run of five straight victories before Coventry City halted them.

Regardless, the early signs of his fresh reign are positive, and now he seems poised to bolster an already impressive squad in the coming window.

One such new recruit could be a sparkling loanee from a Premier League club, with Lamare Bogarde of Aston Villa having been touted earlier this month.

The defender has featured just once for his club’s first team, but at just 18 years old the sky really is the limit for the teenage sensation.

It could be seen as an ideal alternative should they lose out in their pursuit of Ryan Porteous, given that the Hibernian centre-back has garnered widespread interest ever since he refused contract discussions.

Whilst it may only be a temporary fix, it could offer a financially freeing deal to allow Corberan to solve this issue in the summer or one of the windows following even that.

Whilst the 23-year-old is clearly the more experienced defender and is enjoying a fine season outlined in his 7.30 average rating, Villa’s Dutch goliath has earned rave reviews despite limited senior action.

Dubbed a “Rolls-Royce” by expert scout Xander, who continued to label him “calm and smooth”, he clearly boasts the technical attributes to succeed at the first team level.

This was supplemented by journalists Gregg Evans' claim, as he reported for The Athletic: “The youngster is calm and composed in possession and likes to play out from the back.”

However, his defensive contribution cannot be overlooked either. In his one game playing in the Football League Trophy this season, he recorded a comfortable three clearances.

Whilst this may be his first foray into first-team life, it could be the beginning of a magnificent career that truly starts at the Hawthorns.

It may not be a like-for-like replacement, but Bogarde can certainly deputise as a capable alternative to Porteous.