33-year-old pondering his future amid West Brom interest

Ryan Mason is at the top of West Brom’s management shortlist, and he is now considering his options, according to talkSPORT.

West Brom are in for a critical summer. A new CEO will take over at WBA, which will impact how summer business looks at The Hawthorns.

The recruitment department and key members of the club leadership will most certainly already be looking for potential transfer targets, although significant actual movements are unlikely until the next manager takes over.

The Baggies are likely to have several candidates on their radar, but Spurs coach Ryan Mason has been widely connected with the post.

According to talkSPORT, Mason, who has emerged as the favorite for the West Brom position, is seriously evaluating his future.

Mason, 33, has been a member of Tottenham Hotspur’s coaching staff since 2018, with his first major post coming in 2021. He is a key member of Ange Postecoglou’s backroom squad and has two years remaining on his contract.

He might advance his career by taking over at WBA, however a return to Spurs remains a possibility as he considers his next move ahead of the 2025/26 season.

A gamble for West Brom and Mason.

It has become an increasingly frequent way of manager recruiting to swoop for assistant coaches at higher-level clubs, offering them their first chance to be the head coach.

This would be the case for West Brom, given Mason has only previously led Spurs as a caretaker. It implies that, while they may be highly rated coaches, the transition to management can provide difficulties as their coaching qualities struggle to convert into broader duties.

While it would be a gamble for WBA, Mason would also be taking a risk. He is in a safe position at Spurs and leaving after winning the Europa League would be a risk.

The work ahead

Whoever takes charge of West Brom will undoubtedly have the opportunity to put their imprint on the squad at The Hawthorns.

Some veteran players are leaving as their contracts expire, and loan deals are also coming to an end. It leaves gaps in the team to fill at the discretion of their incoming manager.

The goal will be to move the Baggies up the Championship table. They started the 2024/25 season brightly under Carlos Corberan but slowed down once he left WBA for Valencia over Christmas.