Guochuan Lai v Shilen Patel: Who has spent more on West Brom Championship transfers?

Patel's takeover from Guochuan Lai was completed just after the 2024 January transfer window - meaning Albion have had two windows under his stewardship.

On the whole they have been largely successfully, with the Baggies owner investing to re-shape the Albion squad. There is still much to do, but Albion have paid out transfer fees on a number of players, after seasons under Lai where spending was very much limited.

But how do the two periods stack up against each other? Lai's first few seasons as Albion owner were in the Premier League, and early on Albion were spending on players.

So we've had a look over the three seasons in the Championship and how the spending and selling during that period, compares with the two windows Albion have had under Patel and Bilkul Football.

Guochuan Lai

2021/22

This was Albion's first campaign back in the Championship, and saw a summer where they did not spend a penny.

Loan signings such as Jayson Molumby and Matt Clarke arrived, while business was conducted through free transfers of Alex Mowatt and Adam Reach.

In January, they would then shell out £7m for Daryl Dike, before calling on another free in Andy Carroll after an injury for Dike.

The season was fruitful though in terms of sales, with Matheus Pereira departing for £16m, Ahmed Hegazi for £4m, after a loan move was made permanent.

They also received £500,000 for Rekeem Harper, who signed for Ipswich Town.

Spend - £7m

Incoming - £20.5m

Net spend: -£13.5m

2022/23

After a barren summer in terms of spending, Albion did pay out two fees the following season.

They paid £900,000 to make Molumby's move permanent and Brandon Thomas-Asante arrived from Salford City for £300,000. But free transfers such as John Swift and Jed Wallace were the big arrivals.

Okay Yokuslu also returned, while free agents Tom Rogic and Erik Pieters were also brought in.

After a big summer of outgoings in 2021, Albion did not receive a fee for any departing players in 2022. Sam Johnstone was out of contract, so no money was received for his move to Crystal Palace.

Spend - £1.2m

Incomings - £0

Net spend:  £1.2m

2023/24

The last summer under Lai was low in terms of finances and signings. Just three players arrived, with Josh Maja the only permanent one in the summer window.

Two loans came in before Albion against relied on the loan market in January, as the likes of Mikey Johnston and Andi Weimann arrived.

But they sold in the summer to help balance books, receiving £7m for Dara O'Shea, and a further £1.3m for Taylor Gardner-Hickman in January.

Spend - £0

Incomings - £8.3m

Net spend: -£8.3m

Shilen Patel

2024/2025

Patel's first transfer window saw Albion start by paying a fee for Torbjorn Heggem, around £500,000.

By the end of the window they went on to pay £3m for Mikey Johnston, and spending continued in January with the arrivals of Tammer Bany for £3.3m and then Isaac Price for £2.5m.

In both windows, Albion made sales, as Thomas-Asante left for £2.25m, Okay Yokulsu for £1.4m, and Conor Townsend for £750,000.

Then in January came the surprise sale of Alex Palmer to Ipswich Town for a reported fee rising to £5m.

Spend - £9.9m

Incomings - £9.4m

Net spend - £500,000.

Lai v Patel

Spending was limited across Lai's three Championship seasons - aside from the £7m paid out for Dike.

But even with that included, Albion have spent more in the last two windows under Patel than in the previous six under the old ownership.

When it comes to outgoings, the figure is previously higher but it is skewed somewhat by the sale of Pereira in 2021. Take that out, and it would be quite even on both sides.