The future of Nigeria’s duo of Brown Ideye and Victor Anichebe at English Premiership club, West Bromwish Albion has been thrown into jeopardy following the arrival of striker Jose Salomon Rondon.
Rondon, a club-record £12million signing from Zenit St Petersburg, was ineligible to play for West Brom’s Monday night 3-0 loss to Manchester City. But the signing of the 25-year-old is likely to lead to departures, with one of – or both – Ideye and Anichebe seen as major casualties.
West Brom manager, Tony Pulis, also added to the speculation that the duo’s career at the club may end this summer when he declared that he was unsure whether Randon’s arrival would speed up the transfers. “Obviously Victor and Browny – people will look at them and think they have to now move on, but I think they’ve wanted to play more regular football anyway,” he said after the loss.
“The fact we’re bringing Salomon in – does it hasten their move from the football club? We’ll have to wait and see,” he added.
Pulis took responsibility for West Brom’s loss as a Yaya Toure brace and Vincent Kompany goal saw City to a comfortable win.
The 57-year-old said he had erred in starting both Saido Berahino and Rickie Lambert. “Sometimes as a manager, you hold your hand up. I wanted to play Saido and Rickie tonight, but it had gone against everything I’ve ever done against the bigger teams,” Pulis said.
“We’ve always filled the midfield and been strong, what we did really in truth was allow [David] Silva too much room in the first half and he completely dominated the game, he controlled the game and I take responsibility. It’s not the players, it’s me on that one,” he added.
By Olisemeka Obeche
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