Bruce can finally axe £14k-p/w “Rolls-Royce” as WBA plot offer for £20k-p/w “beast”

West Bromwich Albion are interested in a deal to bring Cameron Carter-Vickers to The Hawthorns in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by TEAMtalk, who claim that the Baggies, as well as a host of Premier League and Championship sides, are keeping a very close eye on the progress made by the Tottenham Hotspur centre-back – who is currently on loan at Celtic – ahead of a potential swoop at the end of the season.

However, it is also reported that Celtic have negotiated an option to buy the defender in his temporary contract at Parkhead, believed to be worth around £10m, which could present a rather large obstacle in any potential move by West Brom.

Who would you rather at West Brom?

Bruce can axe Kipre with Carter-Vickers

While West Brom’s main issue this season has been with scoring goals rather than conceding them – with Albion having the joint sixth-worst attack and the third-best defence in the Championship – the signing of Carter-Vickers would nevertheless represent a huge upgrade on a number of the Baggies’ current options in the heart of their defence.

One centre-back the 24-year-old USA international would undoubtedly be an improvement upon is Cedric Kipre, the 25-year-old Ivorian who has cost West Brom dearly at times this season.

Indeed, the £14k-per-week defender who Slaven Bilic once dubbed a “Rolls-Royce” picked up two bookings in the space of just 120 seconds in the FA Cup loss to Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this year, something which greatly contributed to his side’s 2-1 defeat against the Premier League outfit, while the £900k-rated centre-back also turned in extremely poor performances in his last two league outings for the club – the 2-0 loss to Preston North End and the 2-0 defeat to Milwall.

Meanwhile, over Carter-Vickers’ 22 Scottish Premiership appearances this season, the £2.7m-rated defender has been in imperious form for Celtic, helping his side keep 11 clean sheets, scoring two goals and registering one assist, as well as making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 79.1 passes, 4.7 clearances and winning six duels – at a success rate of 71% – per game.

These returns have seen the £20k-per-week titan – who Jan Vertonghen once dubbed an “absolute beast” – average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.36, ranking the 24-year-old as the sixth-best player in the Scottish top flight.

As such, it would appear highly advisable for Steve Bruce to finally cut West Brom’s losses on Kipre this summer, before reinvesting the money received from his sale, as well as his hefty weekly wage, into a move for Carter-Vickers.

In other news: Bruce can seal dream heir to £42k-p/w WBA ace in 24 y/o who Pep “could not deal with”