Exclusive: West Brom Target Former MLS Star Joseph Rosales Under Eric Ramsay

West Bromwich Albion head coach Eric Ramsay wants to bring Joseph Rosales to The Hawthorns, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal. 

Aged 25, the Honduras international was a key member of the Minnesota United side Ramsay transformed into one of the most effective teams in Major League Soccer, before being tempted back to the UK earlier this month.

Maximising dead-ball situations was a hallmark of the 34-year-old's work at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, with one national newspaper describing them as the “most aggressive set-piece” side on the planet. 

Rosales was integral to that approach and our sources have been told if an agreement can be reached with his present club Austin, then Ramsay would jump at the chance of resurrecting their relationship.

Despite being capped nearly 40 times by his country at senior level, Rosales only moved to Texas for around £1.2m when he was traded at the end of the most recent MLS campaign. 

He has yet to appear for his new employers, with the new season in the States not set to begin until the spring before the competition transitions to a summer/spring format.

Rosales has never played in England before, but Ramsay remains convinced the player has the potential not only to thrive in the Championship but also, potentially, at Premier League level should Ramsay prove able to unlock Albion’s promise.

If a deal is reached, it is expected to be a loan until the end of the Championship season, following Rosales’ recent permanent move in MLS.

Ambitious

Having taken over from Ryan Mason, who is now being linked with a short-term stint as Spurs’ interim boss should Thomas Frank depart, Ramsay secured his first point in charge when substitute Chris Mepham scored a last-minute equaliser in Friday’s draw with Derby County.

John Eustace’s men had taken the lead, albeit against the run of play, when debutant Max O’Leary, who previously worked with Ramsay at Shrewsbury Town, gifted the hosts the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Having also been employed by the likes of Manchester United and Wales, Ramsay speaks fluent Spanish and his command of the language means he is confident of helping Rosales settle in a new environment should he eventually join him in the Midlands.