West Brom struck gold on Claudio Yacob

West Bromwich Albion loved a prolonged stint within the Premier League following their promotion in 2010 below Roberto Di Matteo earlier than Steve Clarke took over.

The Scotsman exchange the future Champions League-winning boss with little expertise, having solely been a caretaker manager at Newcastle United at that time together with varied stints as an assistant, however he led the Baggies to one in all their greatest finishes in latest historical past.

Including some shrewd signings, together with the deal to herald Romelu Lukaku on mortgage, Albion completed eighth in 2012/13 – their highest inserting because the Premier League started.

While the Belgian marksman stole most of the headlines for his or her switch enterprise, as he scored 17 goals and arrange an extra seven in that marketing campaign, Claudio Yacob arguably had a far larger affect on the membership, having joined in that very same summer season.

Arriving on a free transfer in 2012, the Argentine midfielder would grow to be a mainstay throughout the assorted managers who would come and go in The Hawthorns’ sizzling seat.

The 35-year-old went on to characteristic 175 instances for the Midlands membership and earned a status for including a physicality to their engine room, together with a stability that arguably solely Gareth Barry replicated when he joined in 2017.

Is Claudio Yacob a cult hero or a legend at West Brom?

It’s no shock that this got here only a yr earlier than Yacob left in 2018 and is a testomony to his pedigree that solely a Premier League legend like Barry might exchange him.

Through the 2015/16 marketing campaign, which is the earliest recorded Sofascore knowledge for his tenure within the Premier League, the Argentine boasted a 6.91 common score regardless of a 14th-placed end for West Brom, averaging 3.4 interceptions, 3.2 tackles and two clearances per sport (by way of Sofascore).

This was indicative of his total profession within the Midlands, the place he grew to become an ever-reliable stalwart. 

Certainly, throughout Yacob’s time on the membership, ex-Baggies team-mate Salomon Rondon was filled with reward for the midfielder, claiming: “Claudio is an excellent man and an excellent participant. He is essential for Albion, he has been on the membership for a very long time and is a key participant.”

It’s clear that, given the Argentine’s modest price ticket, mixed along with his immense stature and longevity on the membership, Clarke struck gold with this deal again in 2012. The now 35-year-old was arguably an important signing of that summer season’s switch window for West Brom.