'Inconsistent' question mark on West Brom attacker as club ponder future offer

Former Albion top scorer Kevin Phillips has backed the club to keep hold of Josh Maja and Karlan Grant - despite “inconsistent” claims of the latter.

The Baggies offered a new contract to Maja, 27, with James Morrison keen to retain the frontman.

The club said they remained “in dialogue” with long-serving attacker Grant, 28, about his future.

Promotion hero Phillips can see value in both attackers extending their stays at The Hawthorns, despite some question marks over Grant.

“Karlan Grant has been there a while,” Phillips told BestBettingSites. “We all know he can score goals, at times just a little bit inconsistent.

“Is he a left winger? Is he a centre forward down the middle? But he's a player that you can rely on.

“So certainly with the experience, I think keeping those two players at the football club for next season would be the right decision, that's for sure.”

It is a summer of change for Morrison’s side in the final third as captain Jed Wallace and striker Daryl Dike were released at the end of their deals.

Grant has mostly been used from the left in recent years. The £15million signing from Huddersfield in 2020 has 35 Baggies goals in 173 appearances.

Maja struggled for form having spent the second half of last season injured, but he did rally late on this term under Morrison and scored three important goals to help secure survival.

Pundit Phillips added of Maja: “I think Josh Maja would be the one I'd be trying to keep because he scored goals for James at a time when they needed him.

“He got the best out of him, and he clearly enjoys working for James. So he's got qualities.

“I always said he just needs to be at a place where he's loved and he gets consistent football. And it seems like he would get that at West Brom under James.”

Morrison was speaking to BestBettingSites as part of his Championship review.