West Brom are starting to make plans for the 2026-27 season after gaining second-tier status under James Morrison.

A goalless draw against promotion-chasing Ipswich Town was enough to keep the Black Country club alive, although Albion may be frustrated that they did not take all three points at The Hawthorns.

Albion knew a point would secure their place in the second tier after the EFL deducted two points for breaking P&S rules, with this result galvanising Morrison’s men, who showed such heart and determination to compete with one of the league’s finest sides.

When the full-time whistle blew at The Hawthorns, jubilation erupted, with Morrison doing an outstanding job guiding what appeared to be a rudderless set of players to a 10-game undefeated streak, while keeping seven clean sheets in their last eight outings.

And after such a stunning turnaround, the Baggies great has been appointed permanent head coach at The Hawthorns, signing a two-year contract and hoping to return the team to the top of the Championship table next season.

The Baggies legend will face a difficult summer in his first full-time season, with several Albion players expected to leave the club this summer as the Black Country club prepares for a rebuild following an extremely poor season.

With this in mind, FLW profiles the players who are all but certain to leave B71 this summer.

Daryl Dike

Daryl Dike is the first player out of contract, and Albion fans will undoubtedly be disgruntled by his injury problems during his tenure.

Dike joined Albion for a reported £7 million deal from Orlando City in 2021, but made only two appearances in his first season, as a hamstring injury on his home debut against Peterborough United sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Heading into 2022-23 under Steve Bruce, the American international missed 19 games due to a thigh injury before achieving his longest run of playing time in an Albion shirt under Carlos Corberan, appearing in 22 straight games and scoring seven goals.

However, Dike had two devastating Achilles tendon ruptures during that and the following season, preventing him from making a sustained comeback to duty until February 2025, when Tony Mowbray took over.

While he has managed to stay fit for the majority of the 2025-26 season, scoring twice in as many games against Preston North End and Watford on his way to Albion’s escape, opportunities for the frontman have been limited, and after playing more games for West Brom in five seasons than you would expect in one or two, it appears very likely that the club will part ways with the forward.

Josh Maja

Similarly, striker Josh Maja has suffered a number of injuries since joining The Hawthorns.

Maja joined Albion on a free transfer in the summer of 2023 after leaving French club Bordeaux, although he only appeared in 12 games due to two catastrophic ankle injuries that derailed his debut season.

He returned fit and firing the next season under Carlos Corberan, with the Nigerian international scoring 12 goals in 26 games until lower leg surgery sidelined him for the season. Maja’s absence was noteworthy, since he remained Albion’s leading scorer despite being sidelined since January.

Maja has improved his fitness this season but has shown no evidence of returning to his clinical frontman form from over a year ago, with a lack of pace and willingness to get involved in likely resulting in his departure from the club in the summer.

Jed Wallace

Next up is club captain Jed Wallace, who has failed to live up to the expectations he created upon signing from Millwall on a free transfer.

Wallace’s 37 goals and 39 assists in nearly 200 second-tier outings at the Den raised hopes that he could be the key to Albion becoming more free-scoring and deadly in the final third.

However, Wallace has yet to reach double figures in goals or assists during his time at the club, with his best performance coming in his debut season, when he had six goals and eight assists.

The solitary goal and assist in 2024-25 exemplified his fall, as ailments have crept in, making it increasingly difficult to see him back to his prime.

Again, it appears like another agreement will not work out on the field, but Wallace’s leadership qualities have helped the playing squad.

Karlan Grant

Karlan Grant is entering his sixth and most likely final season with West Brom, with the deal he signed in 2020 expiring this summer.

Grant has mostly underperformed in the West Midlands since moving from Huddersfield Town following Albion’s promotion back to the Premier League, with his only impressive scoring season coming in 2021-22, when he scored 18 goals.

Aside from that season, the 28-year-old has never scored more than ten goals in a season, with parts of his time at Albion spent on loan at Cardiff City in the second tier.

Grant has also just recovered from a three-month layoff due to hamstring surgery, which might pave the way for his departure from The Hawthorns.

Joe Wildsmith

Shot-stopper Joe Wildsmith’s contract at West Brom expires this summer, and the majority of Albion fans will be glad to see him go.

The ex-Derby County player failed to fill the gap created by Alex Palmer’s move to Ipswich Town at the turn of 2025, with a sequence of costly mistakes against Burnley and Sunderland causing him to last only 10 games until Josh Griffiths took his place.

Wildsmith was originally the second choice in 2025-26, but was recalled to the starting lineup in December by Ryan Mason after Griffiths had a terrible performance.

However, the move in goal lasted only seven games, as Wildsmith failed to provide a calm and assured presence in the Baggies’ backline.

Individual blunders continued to occur at important periods, prompting the club to loan him out to Middlesbrough for the duration of the 2025-26 season.

After his loan with Boro expires, he is anticipated to become a free agent and leave The Hawthorns.

Max O’Leary

The final player who could leave West Brom this summer is Wildsmith’s replacement, Max O’Leary, who came from Bristol City during the January transfer window.

Despite making a poor error on his debut at Derby County, dropping the ball from a simple cross for Patrick Ageymang to score, O’Leary has been a mainstay in the Albion goal, with his performances steadily improving and him playing a key role in Albion rediscovering their defensive solidity under James Morrison.

West Brom are thought to have the option of extending O’Leary’s contract for another year, and now that they are confirmed to be in the Championship next season, they may be tempted to exercise it.

Charlie Taylor

Moving on to loanees, Southampton’s Charlie Taylor is expected to leave The Hawthorns.

Throughout his loan stay, the 32-year-old has primarily played in the squad, appearing in both central defence and left-back throughout the season.

Morrison’s opportunities have been particularly limited as the backline has established itself in the form of Danny Imray, Nat Phillips, George Campbell, and Callum Styles, while Taylor has lacked the pace and physicality to deal with the rough and tumble of the Championship.

Taylor failed to stand out in the blue and white stripes, therefore Baggies fans will be relieved to see him return to the South Coast following a disappointing season.

Danny Imray

Next up is Danny Imray, who has been a huge success since joining from Crystal Palace in the January transfer window.

The right-back has had a stratospheric ascent in the English game over the previous season, progressing from non-league to the second division, facing every challenge head on and demonstrating his ability to thrive.

Imray’s marauding runs and forward-thinking approach down the right flank have seen him become an extra source of creativity in the Albion side, and his tenacious defensive work hasn’t gone unnoticed, with the 22-year-old establishing himself as one of the division’s best full-backs during these brief games.

Imray is understood to have another year on his contract at Selhurst Park, so he is likely to leave the Baggies, but it would not be shocking if the Black Country club attempted to bring him back to The Hawthorns on a permanent basis this summer.

Jamaldeen Jimoh – Aloba

Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba was another loanee who walked through the building at The Hawthorns to help with their survival effort in January, but the former Albion academy graduate has yet to make a fairytale return to the pitch.

After initially impressing under Eric Ramsay, the winger has fallen out of favour under Morrison’s interim leadership, receiving only crumbs of minutes off the bench and failing to make a significant effect.

It’s yet another loan deal from Aston Villa that hasn’t worked out, and Albion will have to take a different approach next season after the departures of Jimoh-Aloba and Samuel Iling-Junior.

Hindolo Mustapha

Hindolo Mustapha, who joined West Brom on loan from Crystal Palace, completes the list of loanees.

His 45-minute debut in the FA Cup under Eric Ramsay was his longest period of game time, with the loanee spending more time in Albion’s Premier League 2 setup than the first-team squad.

It will feel like a waste of time for Mustapha, who could have gone down to League One to get regular minutes, and that could be his strategy for next season after his wretched stint at The Hawthorns comes to an end.