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Paul Merson hints West Brom should target Steven Caulker
Paul Merson that Sam Allardyce should consider trying to bring Steven Caulker to West Bromwich Albion as the Baggies look to get themselves out of trouble.
West Brom’s situation is arguably becoming increasingly desperate. The Baggies have still only won one league game all season and sit six points off safety.
They have also conceded nine goals in their last two league games. Unsurprisingly, Merson has suggested that the defence needs to improve.
And as he discussed West Brom’s situation, he claimed that the teams towards the bottom of the table should consider Caulker.
“He was brought in for a rescue job, but unless you’re going to bring in six or seven players, there’s not much point,” . “I can’t remember Slaven Bilic getting smashed left right and centre, so it’s an interesting decision.
“A few teams need a centre-half, and Steven Caulker is tearing it up in Turkey. Did he lose his way? Of course he did, we all know that, but he has got his life back on track. I think he does a good job at a Premier League team down the bottom, who need to stop conceding goals.
“He has gone to Turkey, turned his life around, he has got experience, and I think he comes in and shores up defences. He’s 29 years old. These managers need players now, they don’t need 19-year-olds.”
As Merson notes, Caulker has seemingly got his career back on track. He enjoyed a promising spell at Dundee. And he followed that by joining Alanyaspor almost two years ago.
He has made 17 starts in Turkey’s top flight this season, scoring twice. They sit fifth in the league. Admittedly, they have played one game more than most of the teams around them. But they are only five points off top spot.
With that in mind, it is difficult to see Caulker having any interest in returning to the Premier League.
At this stage of his career, the one-time England international will surely want continue enjoying his football. And if he is happy in Turkey, joining West Brom or another team languishing in the bottom-half of the table will surely have little appeal.