New West Brom manager Sam Allardyce is keen on bringing Crystal Palace defender James Tomkins to the Hawthorns next month, according to the Evening Standard.
Tomkins previously played under Allardyce when the pair were at West Ham.
Allardyce was clearly impressed by what he saw. He now wants Tomkins to help keep the Baggies in the Premier League.
Tomkins yet to play this season
Tomkins has yet to feature for Palace this season. He has made the bench in three of their last four games, however.
This indicates he may not be completely out of Roy Hodgson’s plans.
However the club’s owner, Steve Parish, is aware the average age of Hodgson’s squad needs to be lowered.
Last month, Parish said: “The average age doesn’t win or lose you games but obviously there is a time limit on players in terms of physical ability to perform.
“We’re acutely aware we’ve got to make smart decisions.”
With Tomkins turning 32 in March, Palace may see this as the perfect time to offload the experienced centre-back.
Allardyce back in the Premier League
Allardyce replaced Slaven Bilic earlier this week, with West Brom sitting 19th in the table, three points from safety.
Many felt Bilic was unfortunate to lose his job after securing a 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Tuesday.
Yet West Brom have just one win from their opening 13 league matches. They have also conceded the most goals in the division.
Appointing Allardyce could help to address this issue. The 66-year-old has built his reputation on making his teams tough to beat.
Busy transfer window
Even with Allardyce’s expertise, reinforcements appear necessary. Tomkins could be the first player to arrive in what promises to be a busy January transfer window for the club.
Allardyce’s first test comes this Sunday when the Baggies take on Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
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