West Brom transfer news as winner named in race to sign Jack Colback

Queens Park Rangers have beaten a host of Championship clubs including West Brom to the signing of free agent Jack Colback, according to Alan Nixon.

The midfield general was revealed to be a target for the Baggies last week, with Birmingham City and Ipswich also interested in securing his services, but Loftus Road is his “shock” next destination.

Gareth Ainsworth’s side have had a disastrous pre-season, culminating in a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Oxford United and view the 33-year-old midfielder as an option to add an extra bit of experience and know-how to the side.

Nixon wrote on his Patreon [31 July], “QPR are the shock winners in the race for midfield general Jack Colback. Gareth Ainsworth needs experience and guile in his squad and the former Nottingham Forest man is an ideal answer.

“Colback is set to sign today despite rival interest from Birmingham, Ipswich and West Brom. QPR are the first to make a solid, no strings attached approach. Colback featured for Forest in their promotion campaign and then the Premier League before being released.”

When this link was previously reported, the overriding feeling was that it would be a sensible, yet not exciting deal for the Baggies to complete, with extra promotion experience never a bad addition to a side.

Therefore, the fact that Carlos Corberan has missed out on securing the midfielder’s services also feels like a very minor bump in the road and one that won’t exactly have pitchforks and torches raised by the fanbase.

Colback would have been a helpful addition, but there is already an abundance of midfield talent at the Hawthorns that would have made him little more than an older head to calm the odd game here or there down.

The Baggies can instead save the wages they would have spent on the former Forest man and reinvest them elsewhere, knowing that their decision not to sign him, likely won’t have a big effect on their season.

Ultimately, a deal could never have been particularly close if the QPR are the first team to offer him a no strings attached deal. It’s likely West Brom were never desperate to bring him to The Hawthorns.