How West Brom can upgrade on Josh Maja by signing Southampton star

It’s time for a fresh start at West Bromwich Albion, with new boss James Morrison having already seen something of an overhaul in recent weeks, intentionally or not.

Key figures like Jed Wallace have already moved on to pastures new, the veteran joining Bristol City, while Daryl Dike is also in line for a return to MLS, following the expiry of his Baggies contract.

The Championship had offered fresh deals to both Karlan Grant and Josh Maja, although the former has since joined Charlton Athletic on a free transfer, while the latter appears unlikely to return.

Seeing both men potentially depart for nothing may well sting for those at the Hawthorns, although in Maja’s case, in particular, such an exit is nothing to lose sleep over.

Why Maja’s exit shouldn’t be seen as a blow for West Brom

West Brom’s desire to keep the Nigerian international is evidenced by their decision to offer a new deal, yet it wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster if the 27-year-old were to end up elsewhere this summer.

Now, Maja did enjoy a promising end to the season under Morrison, after netting three times in just six starts, suggesting that an increased run of games under the West Brom hero might well spark a change in fortunes.

Indeed, the one-time Sunderland man had previously been given the cold shoulder under Ryan Mason, a surprising move considering his record stands at 16 goals in his 41 starts since the start of 2024/25, as relayed by BBC fan writer, Chris Hall.

And yet, anyone with a record of 19 in 81 games for the club simply can’t be deemed irreplaceable, particularly when he’s only scored 19 in 110 total games at Championship level.

He did bag 17 in 49 for the Black Cats in his youth, as well as 29 in 93 for Bordeaux, but the London-born marksman has never been prolific, his career-best tally coming as he scored 16 league goals in France’s second tier in 2022/23.

With Jimmy Jay-Morgan and Barney Stewart already in the building too, Morrison and co can continue to look toward a brighter future, particularly if further attacking additions are to arrive in the coming weeks.

West Brom are already working to sign perfect Maja replacement

It’s been rather quiet on the transfer front of late, although West Brom appear to be looking to re-sign goalkeeper Alex Palmer by all accounts, with the Ipswich Town man previously starring during the 2023/24 campaign.

More excitingly too, the suggestion is that the Baggies could look to raid Championship rivals Southampton for the signing of Cameron Archer, with the Englishman facing an uncertain future at St Mary’s.

As per notable insider WestBromXtra on X, the Hawthorns side have already held talks with the Saints regarding a deal for the 24-year-old, with Morrison said to be a ‘big admirer’.

Archer, once of Aston Villa, is believed to be at the very top of the list of targets, with a return to the Midlands potentially on the cards if West Brom can ramp up their interest.

Now, it wasn’t exactly the most fruitful 2025/26 campaign for Archer either, as he scored just six times in all competitions, only four of which came in the second tier, ensuring he matched Maja’s record for the season.

That said, his four goals came from just 11 starts, at a rate of one goal every 260 minutes, as he also chipped in with three assists. His West Brom counterpart, by contrast, scored once every 386 minutes, while registering only one assist.

Archer has also shown more than enough previously to be encouraged by, having already bettered Maja’s Championship record after netting 22 goals in just 70 games in the competition so far.

The in-demand forward notably scored 11 goals in just 23 games while on loan at Middlesbrough in 2022/23, while also scoring seven times in just 20 games at Preston North End the year prior.

It was during that time at Deepdale that Archer was lauded as a “Jermain Defoe-type” striker by then-boss Ryan Lowe, an exciting comparison considering Defoe is a man who hit 158 Premier League goals during a stellar career at the elite level.

Archer, like his compatriot, is another slight, nimble number nine who is capable of the spectacular, now seemingly just in need of a settled home after bouncing around a few clubs in recent years.

He did notably score four in just 14 games during his time at Villa Park, while also netting four Premier League goals during his time at Sheffield United in 2023/24.

As for Maja, meanwhile, he only has three career Premier League goals under his belt, following a brief spell at Fulham.

Archer, not least due to that Defoe likeness, appears to possess the higher ceiling, with poaching Archer from the Saints likely to represent such a significant coup for Morrison’s side.