Alex Palmer Closer to West Brom Return After Ipswich's Latest Move
West Bromwich Albion may be one step closer to re-signing goalkeeper Alex Palmer after Ipswich Town's latest transfer move. The Baggies have been linked with Palmer's return throughout the summer, and now, with Ipswich signing a new goalkeeper, the door may have opened for Palmer to return to The Hawthorns.
What Happened?
Ipswich Town have signed highly-rated goalkeeper Kayne van Oevelen from Dutch side FC Volendam. The 22-year-old has already made 64 competitive first-team appearances for the then-Eredivisie outfit, including starting all 32 of his Dutch top-flight games in 2025-26.
Why it Matters for West Bromwich Albion
With Palmer now third-choice at best in Suffolk, just how good was he during his time at West Brom? A product of West Brom's academy system, Palmer had to wait 11 years for his Albion first-team debut in August 2021. It wasn't until the 2022-23 campaign that he finally ascended into the role of Albion's number one goalkeeper, and he never really looked back from there.
Per FotMob, his 0.96 goals prevented in the Championship in 2022-23 ranked him in the top 17.3 per cent of second-tier goalkeepers that year. Meanwhile, 2023-24 saw him finish joint-top with Leeds' Illan Meslier for clean sheets with 18, whilst he also saved three penalties and made zero errors leading to goals that term too.
What Comes Next?
With Ipswich's latest move, Palmer may now be closer to returning to West Brom. The Baggies have already made moves to strengthen their goalkeeping department this summer, with Max O'Leary signing a three-year contract and Matt Ingram joining on a two-year deal from Oxford United.
As West Brom continue to build their squad for the new season, the return of Palmer could provide a reliable safe pair of hands for James Morrison to build his defensive spine around. The Baggies are currently 21st in the Championship, 51 points from leaders Coventry, and have scored 48 goals while conceding 58 (-10 goal difference) so far this season.
Currently sidelined is Mikey Johnston, and the team's recent form has been LDWWD. With Palmer potentially returning to the fold, the Baggies may be looking to strengthen their goalkeeping department once again.
