Who is West Brom's new 20-year-old box-to-box midfielder Rabby Nzingoula

West Brom have unveiled Rabby Nzingoula as their latest signing - after securing his signature from French top-flight outfit Strasbourg.

The 20-year-old has penned a three-year deal with the Baggies in a deal worth around £2million.

Here is everything you need to know about James Morrison’s latest summer recruit.

Roots

Born in Lille to Congolese parents, Nzingoula grew up in the Southern suburbs of Paris in the small commune of Grigny.

His early years were plagued by asthma, which Nzingoula feared would damage his chances, but he eventually made his first notable footsteps into football with US Grigny.

After nine years with his hometown club, Nzingoula made the switch to the north-east of the French capital with Orleans, where he spent the next two seasons.

Aged 16, the box-to-box midfielder joined Strasbourg’s youth ranks, but a broken vertebrae threatened to his end his career.

Recovery and rise

Nzingoula missed over six months with the injury, but soon began to establish himself with the ‘B’ team in the fifth-tier of French football.

He scored three goals in 10 games in 2023-24 and his form caught the eye of first team manager and 1998 World Cup winning France legend Patrick Vieira.

His debut came in a 3-1 home defeat against FC Lorient in February 2024 at the age of 18 and Nzingoula went on to play seven times in Ligue 1 before the end of the season.

Liam Rosenior replaced Vieira in the summer of 2024 and Nzingoula soon realised that his chances would be limited.

Instead, Nzingoula joined Ligue 1 rivals Montpellier, where he impressed across 27 appearances, but was unable to rescue them from relegation.

France youth caps - and playing under another World Cup champion

His form earned him international recognition and the 6ft midfield operator earned 16 caps for France at under-20 level.

Nzingoula, who is also eligible to represent the Republic of Congo, featured in every game - as France finished fourth at the Under-20 World Cup last year.

However, his game time was limited to just four appearances back at Strasbourg, and Nzingoula once again headed out on loan, this time to Germany with FC Nurnberg in January.

There, Nzingoula worked under another World Cup-winning star in the form of iconic former Germany striker Miroslav Klose.

He made 15 appearances, scoring once, to help guide Nuremberg to a eighth-place finish in the 2. Bundesliga.

What can West Brom fans expect?

Reports in French media have described Nzingoula as a “box-to-box” midfielder, who is comfortable playing as a No 6 or a No 8, although a tactical profile by the Football Economist argues that the latter is his strongest position.

His strengths certainly lie in winning the ball and driving forward, although Nzingoula has gone on record to admit that he does not have a preferred position exactly.

On his role, Nzingoula said in 2024: “I’ve always been used to playing several positions during my training, whether as a central midfielder, but also as a No 10, centre-back or even striker.

“I’ve never really had a preferred position, although I think the position where I see myself developing the most is as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder.”