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Comment: James Morrison West Brom deal feels like new signing

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Keeping James Morrison at the club for another year or two is fantastic business for the Baggies – just as important as any fresh signings made this summer...writes Albion reporter

Matt Wilson

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For weeks there have been doubts over the 30-year-old's future as his contract slowly ran down towards the end of June.

It appeared Albion's longest-serving current player was interested in a new challenge, or rather an old one, as he contemplated rejoining boyhood club Middlesbrough on their return to the Premier League.

But the news that Morrison is edging closer to a new deal in the Black Country, rumoured to be worth around £50,000 a week, should go down well with supporters.

For the last nine seasons the Scottish international has been flitting in and out of pockets on The Hawthorns pitch, searching for that extra yard to unleash a killer pass or a long-range shot.

Never a prolific goal-scorer, he's failed to get his tally over five in any given Premier League campaign.

But last season proved how crucial he is to this Tony Pulis team. In an uninspiring campaign riddled with disappointing performances, the majority of Albion's worst displays came during the second half of the season when Morrison was sidelined with a ruptured hamstring.

The integral cog in the Baggies machine that links the rest of the team with striker Salomon Rondon, without Morrison buzzing around the Venezuelan Albion struggled to get out of their half.

Rondon was left even more isolated than usual, and the team looked bereft of ideas in the final third. It took a while for Albion to get used to playing without him. In the four league games immediately after his injury the team failed to muster a shot on target against Southampton, Villa and Newcastle.

An experienced top-flight campaigner with 10 Premier League seasons now under his belt, he was the only player in last season's squad who knew how to unpick a defence.

In no way is this a suggestion he has the same ability as the likes of David Silva or Mesut Ozil – but in this workmanlike Pulis team his impact is just as keenly felt.

Albion's head coach knows how important Morrison is to his team. At the end of the season he said: "The season before last James Morrison and Chris Brunt were our main providers and Saido was our main goalscorer. But they didn't play half the games in the season just gone; that's three important players."

Pulis is still hunting for more creativity both centrally and wide, and the Baggies have entered the transfer market with a £4m bid for winger Matt Phillips.

The club still need a new central attacking midfielder because Morrison's injury last season proved how woefully short they are in that department. But that's why so many fans will breathe a sigh of relief when he does confirm he's staying.

Even if a younger, more creative player is bought this summer, the supporters know Morrison has the experience to provide a suitable back-up and challenge for a first team spot too.

If no-one is bought then he proved last season that he's capable of pulling the strings.

The supporters did their best to sway his decision at the end of the season by singing his name during the lap of honour. At the time it felt like goodbye, which is why this new contract feels as exciting as a signing.