West Brom are set to move for QPR’s Charlie Kelman, who won the Golden Boot in League One on loan at Leyton Orient last season.
Now set to return to his parent club before the 2025-26 campaign, the forward is largely expected to step up to Championship football.
However, reports from Darren Witcoop have stated that another Championship club could be interested in Kelman’s services for next season, with West Brom interested in the striker.
Who is Charlie Kelman?
The striker’s career began with FC Dallas, Kelman moved across the waters to England to join Southend United.
Impressive performances at Southend United earned him a move to QPR in 2020, having scored 8 in 35 appearances for the Shrimpers.
The American has enjoyed multiple loan spells away from the Rs, the most successful of which being with Leyton Orient.
Having won League Two with the club in 2023, the young forward returned to Brisbane Road for the 2024-25 campaign, where he enjoyed an impressive breakout season.
Playing 61 games in all competitions under Richie Wellens, Kelman found the net on 27 occasions, finishing as League One’s top scorer while almost capping it off with a promotion, as Orient fell narrowly short of the Championship, losing out to Charlton Athletic at Wembley.
The forward has also featured in the youth setup for the United States national team.
Kelman to West Brom
West Brom look set to undergo a vast rebuild this season after dismal form under Tony Mowbray following Carlon Corberan’s departure saw the club finish four points adrift of the playoff positions.
Recently appointing Ryan Mason, the former Tottenham player turned coach will be taking to his first role as a permanent manager with the Baggies.
Therefore, this window will be vital in shaping a side in the 34-year-old’s image.
A particular attention for the Baggies in the transfer market will be the forward areas, scoring 57 goals in the Championship with only Josh Maja hitting double figures in the West Brom squad.
Kelman is young, physical, and quick with an eye for goal, boasting every attribute required to take the step up to the second tier.
It would be questionable if the 23-year-old was not in Julien Stephen’s plans at QPR next season, considering the potential Kelman has to star in the Championship.
With West Brom now interested, it will be interesting to see QPR’s stance on their forward this summer, after the club have made exciting additions to their forward areas in Karamoko Dembele and Kwame Poku.
West Brom could seal a better signing than Mikey Moore in “phenomenal” star
West Bromwich Albion fans will want to see their team break free of their tag of nearly-men in the Championship promotion race this coming season.
The Baggies have now been outside the luxuries of the Premier League for four seasons on the spin, with Carlos Corberan clinching a playoff spot for the West Midlands side during the 2023/24 season, only for a semi-final exit to crush their promotion dreams.
It will be up to rookie manager Ryan Mason to finally guide West Brom back up to the Premier League, with the powers that be at the Hawthorns going down a brave, new route in offering the inexperienced 33-year-old the reins.
He might well look to utilise his former Tottenham Hotspur connections when attempting to land gems in the transfer market, with Mikey Moore one North London prodigy that continues to stick out.
Latest on West Brom’s pursuit of Moore
It has been a long-standing rumour at the Hawthorns this summer that West Brom are interested in bringing the 17-year-old sensation to the Championship.
After all, the teenage attacker does boast an astounding return of 19 goals from 24 appearances for Spurs’ U19s, on top of also showing off his class in senior action when powering home his first-ever men’s goal for Thomas Frank’s men last season in the Europa League.
But, it could be argued that West Brom are already strong down both the left wing and right wing – where Moore regularly roams – with Tom Fellows, Jed Wallace, and Mikey Johnston all at Mason’s disposal. Between them last season in the second tier, the entertaining trio would tally up a hefty 27 goal contributions.
Moreover, with experience perhaps preferred when looking for fresh recruits down the wing as ex-Derby forward Tom Lawrence continues to be linked, the Baggies might look to other faces in the Spurs academy to bolster their squad, with a loan return for this striker potentially on the menu as a better pick-up than Moore.
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