West Brom and Middlesbrough Already Boast Attacking Talents Worth More Than Lewis Dobbin Despite Missing Out on £9m Transfer
West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough may have been disappointed after missing out on Lewis Dobbin, but both Championship clubs already possess attacking players whose value and potential arguably surpass that of the newly signed Southampton winger.
Southampton officially completed the signing of the 23-year-old attacker from Aston Villa on Wednesday, paying an initial fee of £9 million as they looked to strengthen their forward line ahead of the new Championship campaign. The move ended speculation surrounding Dobbin’s future, with both West Brom and Middlesbrough previously linked with the versatile attacker during the summer transfer window.
Earlier in the window, Middlesbrough were reported to be among the clubs interested in bringing Dobbin to the Riverside Stadium, while West Brom were also encouraged to make a move, largely because of the player’s previous spell at The Hawthorns. Dobbin spent the first half of the 2024/25 Championship season on loan with the Baggies from Aston Villa, although his time there was far from memorable. Despite making several appearances, he failed to score a single goal before returning to his parent club.
Why Dobbin Would Have Appealed to Both Clubs
Despite his disappointing loan spell at West Brom, Dobbin significantly rebuilt his reputation during the 2025/26 campaign while on loan at Preston North End. Operating primarily across the front line, the England youth international enjoyed an impressive season, scoring ten Championship goals and proving he could influence games from multiple attacking positions.
For West Brom, his arrival would have addressed one of their biggest weaknesses from last season. James Morrison’s side struggled to get enough attacking production from their natural wingers, with none of them managing to score more than two league goals throughout the campaign.
Dobbin’s versatility would have made him an attractive option. Comfortable on either wing or through the middle, he could have offered the pace, movement and finishing ability that West Brom lacked in wide areas. His improved confidence in front of goal following his Preston spell suggested he had developed considerably since his unsuccessful loan at The Hawthorns.
Middlesbrough also had genuine reasons to pursue the Aston Villa forward. Under manager Kim Hellberg, the club lacked a clinical central striker, with none of their recognised number nines reaching double figures for league goals during the season.
Because Dobbin often featured as a second striker or central forward for Preston, he could have been deployed in a more advanced role at Middlesbrough. With Morgan Whittaker and Tommy Conway already providing goals from wider positions, Dobbin’s flexibility would have allowed Hellberg to experiment with different attacking combinations while adding another proven Championship scorer to his squad.
Although Southampton ultimately won the race for his signature, both clubs can still take comfort in the quality they already possess.
Isaac Price Has Become One of West Brom’s Most Valuable Assets
West Brom’s biggest attacking jewel is now Northern Ireland international Isaac Price, whose rapid development has significantly increased both his importance to the squad and his market value.
After arriving from Standard Liège for around £2.5 million in January 2025, Price has enjoyed a remarkable rise. According to Transfermarkt, the midfielder is now valued at approximately £10 million—already exceeding the transfer fee Southampton paid to sign Dobbin.
The 22-year-old produced his finest season yet during the 2025/26 Championship campaign, becoming one of West Brom’s standout performers. Across 46 league appearances, Price scored nine goals while also creating numerous opportunities for his teammates.
His underlying statistics highlighted just how influential he was. He registered an expected goals (xG) figure of 9.95, created six big chances, averaged 1.4 key passes per game, recorded an expected assists (xA) total of 3.85 and finished with two assists. In truth, he could easily have ended the campaign with a much higher assist tally had his teammates converted more of the opportunities he created.
While Dobbin narrowly outscored him with ten league goals, Price is younger, continues to improve rapidly and already commands a higher market valuation, making him one of West Brom’s most valuable long-term assets.
Morgan Whittaker Gives Middlesbrough an Even Bigger Advantage
If West Brom have Price, Middlesbrough possess an even more valuable attacking star in Morgan Whittaker.
The former Swansea City winger is currently valued at around £15 million by Transfermarkt, placing him well above both Dobbin’s estimated £9 million valuation and Price’s £10 million figure.
Whittaker justified that valuation with an outstanding 2025/26 Championship campaign. He finished the season with 14 league goals and seven assists, making him one of the division’s most productive attacking players and Middlesbrough’s leading offensive threat.
Compared to Dobbin’s impressive return of ten goals and eight assists for Preston, Whittaker delivered even greater output while consistently producing match-winning performances throughout the campaign.
His ability to both score and create goals makes him one of the Championship’s elite attacking talents, and Middlesbrough will undoubtedly look to build their promotion challenge around his creativity and finishing ability next season.
Missing Out on Dobbin Is Not a Major Setback
Although losing out on Lewis Dobbin may initially appear disappointing for both West Brom and Middlesbrough, neither club should view the failed pursuit as a significant setback.
Dobbin has developed into an exciting Championship attacker and deserved his £9 million move to Southampton after an excellent campaign with Preston North End. However, both clubs already possess highly rated attacking players capable of making an even bigger impact.
Isaac Price continues to establish himself as one of West Brom’s brightest young talents, while Morgan Whittaker has already proven he is among the Championship’s finest attacking players.
With those two stars leading their respective attacks, both West Brom and Middlesbrough can remain confident that they have enough quality to compete for promotion to the Premier League, even without securing Dobbin’s signature.
