Since Carlos Corberan joined the Baggies in October 2022, their fortunes have drastically changed. Under his leadership, the Black Country went from being at the bottom of the second division to being in the running for the playoffs the previous season.
Under the former Huddersfield Town manager, Albion is still fighting for a spot at the top of the division, and West Brom fans are dreaming of playing in the premier league once more.
Under Corberan, Albion has risen up the table thanks in large part to the efforts of players like Brandon Thomas-Asante, a Salford City summer acquisition who was one of several during Steve Bruce’s reign.
The 25-year-old signed a contract at the Hawthorns in August 2022 for a reported sum of £300,000, and it’s safe to say that he has already outperformed that amount in his time in the Black Country.
With ease, Thomas-Asante transitioned between two leagues, showcasing his goal-scoring abilities with a spectacular equalizer on his debut against Burnley. In his subsequent appearance, the forward would score a penalty in a West Midlands derby loss against Birmingham City.
Between Bruce’s departure and Corberan’s arrival, the Ghanaian would go ten games without scoring a goal. However, he would go on to win the season’s most valuable goal against Stoke City and score spectacular goals against Rotherham United and Bristol City before 2023.
With Karlan Grant’s goal-scoring form and Daryl Dike’s long-term injury ruling him out, Thomas-Asante was thrown into the deep end for the latter part of the campaign.
Although Albion barely made it into the top six, the Milton Keynes-born attacker would go on to score just twice from the final ten Championship games. Nevertheless, Thomas-Asante had performed admirably given the step up in level.
Thomas-Asante, in his second season at the Hawthorns, has scored double digits in goals across all competitions while wearing a blue and white shirt. He has continued to amaze with his efforts in front of goal under Corberan’s direction.
Due to Josh Maja’s ankle problems and Dike’s ongoing absence, Thomas-Asante has once again primarily led the line by himself.
Between December 2023 and January 2024, the forward had a successful run in goal scoring five goals in eight Championship games against Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, Sunderland, and Norwich City.
Thomas-Asante has been a valued member of the Albion front line and has helped the team stay at the top of the Championship table with his steady goal-scoring output, especially when you take into account the little fee paid by the Baggies in a precarious financial situation.
Thomas-Asante has continued to be an important member of Corberan’s team because of his relentless work ethic and keen goal-scoring ability, two traits he brought to the playing group when he first joined.
The 25-year-old has been linked to transfers to many Championship teams since moving up to the second tier, and his easy transition to life in B71 has drawn interest from a number of suitors.
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