West Bromwich Albion are currently in such a downward spiral that it seems like nobody could slow them down.

Steve Bruce has led his side to eight games without a victory, three losses in their last four, and a place just two points adrift in the relegation zone.

Whilst his defence has been leaking goals, with eight shipped in their last four, there seems to be a lack of creativity and fluency amongst his front four that is truly causing him trouble.

He is yet to nail down his starting striker, whilst his main man Grady Diangana has only managed two goals in the opening 12 Championship games.

It will therefore leave many fans wishing they could bring back an old favourite, who might not have excelled whilst at the Hawthorns but in his prime, would now certainly be able to fire them back to the Premier League.

In 2011, Roberto Di Matteo managed to coerce Carlos Vela to come to the midlands on loan from Arsenal.

Although he featured just eight times for the club, he has gone on to thrive in both La Liga and the Major League Soccer.

In America in particular, he has broken records for his contributions to his club Los Angeles FC.

He played 250 times for Real Sociedad, and with 73 goals and 43 assists, he was clearly a very solid winger. Vela possessed frightening speed and a wicked left foot, the likes of which would tear up a league like the Championship.

There is a reason why his ex-manager David Moyes labelled him a “special player” and a “special talent” during his short stint in Spain.

However, moving to America was when he seemed to really hit his peak. If the Baggies possessed this kind of goal-scoring numbers in their arsenal they would never have to worry about where the goals would come from.

The Mexican has scored 79 times and assisted 40 in just 135 games for his team, with his exploits in the 2018/19 season earning him the top scorer. That year he scored 34 goals and assisted ten more in just 31 games, a simply breath-taking figure.

With Bruce’s side having only scored 17 this season in his 12 games, five of which came in one match, he would surely do anything for a player of this quality now.