Taylor Gardner-Hickman departs West Brom in permanent Bristol City switch

The academy graduate, at the club since aged seven, moved to Ashton Gate in the summer on loan with a £1.3million clause that the Robins could activate to purchase him permanently, if they wished.

Gardner-Hickman's exit is a separate deal from that which saw City captain Andi Weimann check into The Hawthorns on loan until the end of the season for attacking cover for Carlos Corberan.

While the deals are separate they have been negotiated together between the clubs to find a suitable outcome for all parties. The 22-year-old has penned a three-and-a-half year deal until 2027 at Ashton Gate.

The funds brought by Telford-born Gardner-Hickman's sale will go to the club and assist with cashflow while the club negotiate a takeover from Guochuan Lai, with US medical entrepreneur Shilen Patel last week emerging as a frontrunner.

Albion have taken a second loan from MSD Holdings to cover overheads until the takeover is complete and the sale of an academy graduate will help tide the club over and will not be reinvested in additions.

Albion are understood to be satisfied the clubs reached an agreement to see Gardner-Hickman depart The Hawthorns a number of months before the Robins had the opportunity to trigger the option this summer.

Gardner-Hickman made 63 senior appearances, including 25 league starts and 27 substitute appearances, for the Baggies after breaking into first-team contention in the 2021/22 campaign under, initially, Valerien Ismael.

He excited then boss Ismael and supporters with a full-blooded style and excellent range of passing having come through the club's youth set-up.

But the youngster's versatility became subject of debate as Gardner-Hickman, a central midfielder by trade, struggled for game time or at least regular starts under Steve Bruce and then Corberan. He was often used as a makeshift or replacement right-back with others absent. He netted his first Baggies goal, memorably, in a win at Reading under caretaker boss Richard Beale of the academy in between the aforementioned bosses.

He started just 11 games in the bench last season – fewer than his 14 league starts in 21/22 – and would appear from the bench on a further 20 occasions.

Gardner-Hickman, who became an England under-20 international with his boyhood club, has flourished on loan at Ashton Gate and quickly become a fans' favourite.

There have been calls by Robins supporters to make the move permanent, with the £1.3m option revealed last summer.

City, under boss Liam Manning after former Albion man Nigel Pearson was dismissed, have made the move to make the the deal permanent with Gardner-Hickman already making 23 league appearances this term, including 15 starts, and scoring once.