West Brom must rival Middlesbrough to sign 11-goal Southampton star

The end to the 2025/26 campaign showed that West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough must both add more goals to their respective squads in the summer transfer window.

Boro lost 1-0 to Hull City in the play-off final, blanking at Wembley when they had a chance to earn promotion to the Premier League, and they only scored one goal in two games against Southampton in the semi-finals, before Spygate meant that they went through.

The Baggies, meanwhile, failed to score in three of their last six matches in the Championship and ended the season with just 48 goals scored in 46 league games.

This means that both clubs should be aiming to add more goals to the team by recruiting more attacking quality when the summer transfer window opens for business later this month.

However, it is down to James Morrison and Kim Hellberg to decide which positions in particular they need to improve ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Why West Brom and Middlesbrough both need to sign a striker

West Brom certainly need to be in the market for a new centre-forward because Daryl Dike has been released and Karlan Grant and Josh Maja will become free agents unless the club can agree fresh terms with them.

There is a world, therefore, where Aune Heggebo, who scored nine goals in 46 Championship games, is the only senior number nine on the books at the start of July, which is why they need to add another in that position.

Boro, meanwhile, need to add more quality in the number nine role after David Strelec only scored eight goals from 10.12 xG across 35 appearances in the league this season.

The Slovakia international was far too wasteful in front of goal, underperforming his xG by two goals, and failed to hit the hit target from four efforts on goal as a starter in the play-off final.

West Brom and Middlesbrough, therefore, should both be in the market to add a top-quality, proven, centre-forward to lead the line for them in the Championship in the 2026/27 campaign.

West Brom and Middlesbrough must target 11-goal striker

Both clubs should explore the free agent market to improve their respective squads, and there is a quality number nine who may become available for nothing this summer.

Southampton centre-forward Ross Stewart’s contract is due to expire at the end of the month after they opted not to activate his 12-month extension, and reporter Adam Blackmore has suggested that his future at St. Mary’s is 50/50 at the moment.

If the Saints are unable to agree a new deal with the striker, Boro and West Brom must both swoop to sign him because he could be a phenomenal addition to either squad.

Stewart scored nine goals in 12 starts in the Championship for Southampton, playing 25 games in total, after coming back from a significant Achilles injury.

The Scotland international missed 149 in three years after sustaining an Achilles injury in January 2023 whilst playing for Sunderland, but racked up 33 appearances in all competitions, scoring 11 goals, this season.

Stewart, who scored against Boro in the play-offs, is finally getting closer to playing regular football after his frustrating injury issues, as this season was his first year with more than 14 appearances since the 2021/22 campaign.

Prior to his Achilles injury, the Saints centre-forward played 80 times in the 20/21 and 2021/22 seasons combined, scoring 28 goals, which shows that he has the potential to get back to being a reliable player, both in terms of availability and as a goalscorer.

Even with all of his injury issues and his lack of starts this season, Stewart still scored more goals in all competitions (11) than Heggebo (ten) and Strelec (nine) in the 2025/26 campaign.

He also outperformed his xG, scoring nine league goals from 5.92 xG, whilst Strelec and Heggebo both underperformed their xG in the Championship.

Therefore, Stewart would arrive at The Hawthorns or The Riverside as an upgrade in the number nine position, due to his impressive goalscoring numbers, which is why both clubs should fight it out to secure his signature if the Saints fail to extend his contract.