West Bromwich Albion can finally gear up for the start of the new Championship campaign with news that head coach Carlos Corberan is no longer a target for Leeds United.
Former Leeds coach Corberan was considered the favourite to succeed Sam Allardyce at Elland Road at one point, but Football Insider reports that the Whites are working to bring in a manager with Premier League experience.
That can only be considered a huge boost for Albion some six weeks out from the opening weekend of the 2023-24 campaign, and it means full focus can now be on transfer activity.
Indeed, the Baggies could make it a double reason for celebration by bringing in one of Corberan's targets, with The Sun reporting last week that they are showing an interest in Blackpool striker Jerry Yates.
Who is Blackpool striker Jerry Yates?
Yates' 20 goals helped fire Blackpool to promotion to the Championship two years ago, and he has since scored 22 goals in the second tier.
As well as netting 14 goals last time out, which were not enough to keep Blackpool up, Yates also chipped in with four assists. It is that ability to both score and create that earned strong praise from his former boss Richie Wellens.
"He's good at everything," Wellens told Quest. "He's got decent pace and he can hold the ball up." Yates' ability as an all-rounder is further reflected when looking at the positions he was fielded last season, courtesy of WhoScored, ranging from a central midfielder to a striker, as well as operating on both flanks.
The 26-year-old can also help out in terms of the defensive side of the game, with FBref ranking him in the top 3% of his positional peers for interceptions and top 7% for blocks.
It is unsurprising, then, that a number of Championship teams are taking a close look at Yates – heavyweights Leicester City among them. The Sun reports that Premier League club Luton Town may also be tempted to make a move for a player valued at £4m by Blackpool.
Yates would undoubtedly be an upgrade on what Corberan currently has available, as his 18 combined goals and assists in the Championship last season are three more than West Brom's best performer John Swift managed.
In fact, Jed Wallace (14) was the only other Albion player to register double figures in that metric, which shows the importance of bringing another talented attacker to The Hawthorns.
Factor in the 1.63 aerial duels per 90 minutes Yates wins, which is more than Swift (0.84) and Wallace (0.48), and it may well be that the Englishman's combination with Corberan next term proves the difference between mid-table obscurity and a serious push at promotion.
