Former Sunderland loanee Callum Styles is expected to complete a transfer to West Brom in the coming days, according to reports.
The midfielder, also capable of playing at wing-back, is currently on the books at Barnsley in League One, but has been heavily touted for an exit in recent weeks. Styles spent the second half of last season on loan at the Stadium of Light, making a dozen appearances for the Black Cats. Earlier in the summer, the club took the decision not to make his move from Oakwell a permanent one.
At that point, the Hungarian international returned to Barnsley, but is yet to feature for the Tykes this term as speculation around his future continues to mount. Now, however, he looks set to seal an immediate return to the Championship. According to the Yorkshire Post, the 24-year-old is set to complete a move to West Brom after terms were agreed between the player and both involved clubs. If and when Styles signs for the Baggies, he will bring to an end his six-year association with Barnsley.
The utility man signed for the Tykes from Bury in the summer of 2018, amassing 151 appearances over the course of the years since. During that time, he scored 13 goals and assisted nine more.
At this stage, the specifics of West Brom’s anticipated swoop are not clear, but it is understood that Styles has a release clause of around £2 million written into his contract. Failing that, it has been suggested that Barnsley would be open to the prospect of a player-plus-cash agreement of some kind. West Brom previously failed with a bid for Styles earlier in the month, according to Sky Sports, but the Baggies are now expected to land their man sooner rather than later.
Addressing the uncertainty surrounding Styles’ future in a recent interview, Barnsley boss Darrell Clarke told the Barnsley Chronicle, “One minute it’s close, the next minute it’s not. It’s not doing the lad any favours mentally. For me, it’s part of football management and you have to adapt. If something manoeuvres, it manoeuvres. We understand where we’re both coming from.”
