West Bromwich Albion teenager Tyler Roberts has been hogging the limelight these days. The 18-year-old has given a good account of himself so far and has been on the shopping list for a number of clubs. He has been sent on loan to Walsall till January to have first-team game time to gather more experience under his belt. He has been with the club since the age of seven and is one of the brightest academy prospects in recent years.
Sunderland, Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion are all vying for his signature but the Baggies have maintained a stiff hold on their prized asset. Roberts had a very fruitful debut as he took very little time to find the back of the net for Walsall in the League One. He has very little time to prove his worth but given his raw talent, he can make it to the big stage if he maintains himself properly.
The Baggies do lack in the attacking section and Roberts could be the readymade product they can afford. The 18-year-old possesses all the necessary qualities and it’s a bit surprising the Baggies haven’t tied him to a long-term contract till now. The youngster’s contract is scheduled to expire in the next summer and he will be available to sign a pre-contract in January.
However given the current situation up front, Pulis should welcome the youngster to the first team. The veteran manager promoted a number of players to the senior side and the 18-year-old could be the latest player to follow the suit.
A natural finisher, he has the eye for goals and Pulis should keep an eye on the player during this phase. He also fills the homegrown quota for them which has been a headache for Premier League clubs these days.
A number of players have made a good start at the beginning of their professional career but later went on to waste the opportunities that came towards their way and Roberts needs to maintain his development in the right way to avoid adding his name to such a list.
Pulis does have an eye for talents and we could expect that a talent like Roberts will get the necessary treatment under his tutelage. The Baggies are expected to offer the Wales U-21 International fresh terms to extend his stay at the Hawthorns to keep the others club at bay.
He has shown the promise and The Baggies might have the chance to sell him later for a much bigger fee so Pulis shouldn’t let him go for free as of now.
