West Bromwich Albion have signed Venezuelan striker Salomon Rondon from Zenit St Petersburg for a fee of £12 million.
Rondon, who has 39 caps for his country, represents a massive coup for the Baggies as an international striker with a proven goal scoring pedigree. At over 6 foot tall Rondon is the type of striker West Brom manager Tony Pulis likes, providing the Baggies with a proper target man to supplement Saido Berahino.
Rondon signed for Zenit last year for £16 million, scoring 20 goals in 37 games and has a similarly good goalscoring record at all the other clubs he has played for, scoring 13 in 36 for Rubin Kazan and 25 in 67 for Malaga for example.
Whether Rondon will adapt to the Premier League is a risk West Brom have to take, as the team lack a real goalscoring threat once Saido Berahino is taken out. It is promising, however, that the likes of Liverpool have looked at Rondon in the past and shown real interest.
The signing of Rondon is likely to see one of either Brown Ideye or Victor Anichebe leave the club as they would surely find themselves surplus to requirements at The Hawthorns.
Holding on to Saido Berahino will still be West Brom’s priority for the rest of the transfer window, but with the arrival of Serge Gnabry on loan from Arsenal, Rickie Lambert from Liverpool, James McClean from Wigan and James Chester from Hull it is fair to say the transfer window has given West Brom much to be hopeful for for the coming season.
Pulis has stated there are still a number of players he wants to sign including a new goalkeeper and more defenders but the signing of Rondon is a clear statement of intent to the rest of the Premier League that this West Bromwich Albion side mean business.
