West Brom can seal a better reunion than Imray by signing £3m star

West Bromwich Albion are in the market to add a new right-back to their squad before the end of the summer transfer window in September.

The Baggies have agreed a deal with Rodez for French defender Nolan Galves, but Southampto have also reached an agreement with the Ligue 2 side, and it is down to the player to make a decision.

One player who will not be linking up with James Morrison’s side again, though, is Danny Imray, who spent the second half of last season on loan at The Hawthorns.

The English right-back is closing in on a £5m move to Championship rivals Wrexham, after the Baggies decided against pursuing a deal for that price.

Why West Brom made the right decision on Danny Imray

Missing out on a deal for Imray feels like a blow for West Brom after he caught the eye during his loan spell, with a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win against Watford standing out as his best performance.

However, a £5m fee for a player who has only played half-a-season of football above League One level is a significant amount of money, and it may not be worth it for the Baggies.

Whilst the exact fee has not been revealed, West Brom have already agreed a deal to sign Galves from Rodez and he would be an even better addition to the squad for the right-back position from an offensive perspective.

The French star’s performances in Ligue 2 in the 2025/26 campaign indicate that he would offer a greater threat at the top end of the pitch, as he is considerably more creative than the former Palace loanee.

Spending £5m on Imray when he may not even be the best right-back available to Morrison next season, therefore, does not make a great deal of sense, which is why they have made the right decision by not challenging Wrexham to his signature.

West Brom can seal a better reunion than Danny Imray

Whilst the Palace full-back will not be having a reunion with Morrison and his squad at The Hawthorns this summer, there is another former West Brom player who could be targeted.

It was reported earlier this summer that West Brom and Championship rivals Birmingham City are both keeping tabs on Barnsley winger Reyes Cleary, who left the Baggies to sign for the League One side in the summer of 2025.

The Tykes are looking for a fee of £3m for the 22-year-old attacker, amid interest from several teams in the second tier, and the Baggies should splash the cash to bring him back to the club this summer.

It would be a bigger and more exciting reunion than Imray would have been if the club can agree a deal for Cleary, as he would be a phenomenal addition to Morrison’s squad.

The Baggies seemingly made a mistake when they opted to sell him to Barnsley last year, after he had racked up 57 goals and eight assists in 68 matches at U18 and U21 level for the club’s academy.

A return of 20 goal contributions in 30 starts in his first season of regular football in League One suggests that West Brom should have given him more than two cameos at Championship level before selling him.

No Baggies player created more than 11 ‘big chances’ or provided more than nine assists in 46 matches in the Championship last season, which suggests that Reyes has the potential to be an outstanding creator for Morrison.

A haul of seven goals from just 4.25 xG also shows that he is an effective finisher who can offer a decent goal threat from a left wing position, as he rarely misses a good chance to find the back of the net.

Cleary, therefore, could arrive at The Hawthorns as an upgrade on what Morrison currently has at his disposal in the wide positions, particularly as a creator, which is why a reunion with him would be particularly exciting.

Whereas, Imray may not have been a more effective option than Galves, should West Brom go on to sign the Frenchman, which is why a deal for the Barnsley star would be an even better piece of business for the Baggies.

It is now down to the board to decide to make an approach to sign the League One talent before any of their rivals, Birmingham, can beat them to it.