West Brom are reportedly interested in bringing Demarai Gray to the Hawthorns, according to reports this week...

What's the word?

The Daily Mirror (05/01, page 47) claim the 24-year-old winger, who has featured just once in the Premier League this term, is a target for Sam Allardyce amongst others.

Top-flight rivals Leeds United are thought to be leading the race with Southampton and Sheffield United also mentioned in the report.

It is thought that the Foxes ace feels he has no long-term future at the club as he enters the final six months of his current contract, which also means he's free to join any foreign outfit with Ligue 1 side Marseille also linked.

Worse than Phillips

Albion are on the verge of securing Robert Snodgrass on a free transfer from West Ham, so a move for Gray doesn't seem worthwhile.

He has failed to live up to expectations at the King Power Stadium, indeed it is a surprise to see that the wide man has made 133 appearances in the Premier League since Leicester activated his £3.7m release clause in January 2016.

In those matches, Gray has only been able to muster up ten goals and 11 assists, and evidently, current Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers is no longer a fan considering he's played 459 minutes all season.

A stark contrast to September 2019 when Rodgers lauded the winger a "big talent"  and June 2020, emphasising this point, calling him a "wonderful talent" who "can do everything" even claiming he had been "exceptional" - though his lack of action on the pitch clearly tells another story.

Last season in the top-flight, Gray failed to average over 1.1 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

Which is far worse than what Matty Phillips conjured up despite being in and out of the side on the Baggies' way to promotion.

Even though the former QPR man has been found out at this level, managing just 0.5 shots and 0.4 dribbles per game, the last thing Big Sam will want is another disastrous winger on his hands.

The Baggies must steer clear of the £55k-per-week flop this transfer window.

AND in other news, West Brom can find next Claudio Yacob in £13.5m powerhouse...