Who is new West Brom signing Nolan Galves? Improved stats behind attack-minded right-back

Albion’s new right-back Nolan Galves enjoyed an impressive 2025/26 campaign.

Galves, who only turned 23 last week, was eyed by a number of English clubs this summer, but the Baggies struck a deal to bring the Frenchman to The Hawthorns on a four-year contract.

The attack-minded right-back’s performances for Rodez helped push the little-fancied southern club into play-off contention in the second tier of French football, before the season ended in penalty heartbreak against Saint-Etienne.

Galves arrives as part of the answer to head coach James Morrison’s right-back conundrum, with former loan star Danny Imray reportedly set for Wrexham. The Baggies’ other options at the moment end with academy graduate Alex Williams and Alfie Gilchrist, who was frozen out last season.

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What is Galves’ background?

Galves made the move south from Montbeliard in the east, close to the Switzerland border, in 2024.

He came through the youth ranks at his hometown’s premier club FC Sochaux from the age of 10 and progressed from Sochaux II into the first-team set-up.

Barely out of his teens, the right-back enjoyed a first regular taste of senior football in the third-tier Ligue 3 with Sochaux - who until a decade earlier were a regular fixture in the top flight before falling on harder times.

Galves adventurous style caught the eye of Rodez, who have been a second tier outfit since 2019, and from there the right-sided defender has developed.

Galves, who stands at a little under 6ft, penned a three-year contract at Rodez in 2024 with now just 12 months left to run on that agreement. It was reported earlier in the summer that the French side had an asking price of around £850,000 for the right-back.

How has he fared in the second tier?

It is little surprise Galves has come on to the radar of clubs from the English equivalent with Albion, Southampton, QPR and Millwall credited with interest this summer.

A first season with Rodez, where his side finished 14 out of 18 teams, delivered three assists and two goals in 31 appearances for the right-back.

Last season was a notable improvement from the flying full-back and his side. Galves did not score but developed dramatically in the creative stakes chipped in with eight assists, including one in play-off action, after Rodez finished fifth.

Rodez boss Didier Santini typically prefers a five-man defence and Galves’ starting position was usually wing-back, a slightly more advanced role than full-back.

He starred in a thrilling play-off first round 3-2 win over Red Star before a cruel spot-kicks defeat.

Other stats bode well. He laid on 10 big chances last term, which put above 95 per cent of full-backs for the French second tier. Galves did not score last term, but his total shots (26) is more than 90 per cent of players of a similar position, showing an attacking mindset.

No player in the entire division produced more successful crosses from Galves’ 59 last season.

Galves completed more dribbles, 27, than 96 per cent of full-backs in Ligue 2.

Video footage shows a right-back on the front foot and, in a similar mould to former loanee Imray, keen to dribble at opposition defenders and reach the byline to deliver.

Defensive figures also spiked last season, at both ends of the pitch. Galves, who like Imray does also like to operate at wing-back, made 103 ball recoveries last term - stronger figures than 85 per cent of full-backs - and won possession 11 times in the attacking third of the pitch - better than 97 per cent of full-backs in the division.