West Brom are poised to sign IF Brommapojkarna defender Torbjorn Heggem with a medical set to take place to today, as per The Athletic.
West Brom are in the market for eye-catching recruits having fallen short in the promotion race during the 2023/24 campaign.
After sitting 5th for much of the season, the Baggies were beaten by Southampton in the play-offs. To avoid all doubt next time around, Carlos Corberan and co will be eyeing one of the top two spots.
The transfer window opened on June 14th and now, it seems the first signing is on the cards at The Hawthorns.
The Athletic reports that West Brom are set to sign defender Torbjorn Heggem, who currently plays in Sweden with IF Brommapojkarna. The 25-year-old, who plays as a centre-back and left-back, is poised to undergo a medical today (Tuesday) ahead of the switch.
Norwegian ace Heggem has been with his current club since February 2023 and his deal is up at the end of the calendar year. The move will mark a first venture out of Scandinavia having previously spent time in his native.
A valuable signing
It will be hoped the Heggem deal can be wrapped up without a hitch but West Brom won’t take anything as gospel until it’s finalised and their new defender has put pen to paper.
Nevertheless, it looks to be smart business from the Baggies.
Heggem offers valuable versatility at the back having spent much of his career at left-back. However, his stature means he’ll be able to slot into a central role with ease in the Championship.
Domestic-based signings are easier but looking overseas could be fruitful for West Brom. It can open doors to an untapped market where deals tend to be significantly cheaper than bringing in established players from clubs in and around the league.
Current defensive options
The signing of a left-sided defender in Heggem definitely plugs a gap in Corberan’s side.
He may well battle Conor Townsend for the starting spot at left-back, in turn opening the door for Zac Ashworth to head out again. Or, at left-sided centre-back, he can take the place of Erik Pieters and account for the increasingly likely departure of Cedric Kipre.
It looks to be a smart acquisition for West Brom and having wrapped up an agreement and scheduled a medical, it may not be long before Heggem is officially on the books at The Hawthorns.