From loans to Golden Glove to the Premier League: Alex Palmer's patient West Brom journey

The 28-year-old goalkeeper, who joined Albion as a 14-year-old, went out on seven loan moves and had to wait 11 years before he was eventually given his chance between the sticks.

Since then, he hasn't looked back. Just over 28 months since he finally made his Albion league bow, his fine displays in the Championship are set to earn him a £5m move to the Premier League with Ipswich Town.

There have been periods during his time at Albion when it looked like he wasn't going to trouble the number one spot, and his future was destined to be elsewhere.

But he made the breakthrough and is now getting his rewards, while Albion get a decent return on their academy graduate.

Here is a look back at Palmer's journey from loanee outcast to Golden Glove winner:

Palmer joined the Baggies academy at 14, rising through the ranks before going on to land a professional contract.

His first thrust into the limelight was as an unused substitute in a 4-1 league loss to Arsenal in the Premier League in 2015, before Palmer would then go on the first of a string of loan moves away from Albion.

First he went to National League Kidderminster Harriers on a youth loan, before two years later heading back to the non-league club on a temporary basis.

After 22 appearances across two non-league spells, he would go on emergency loans to Oldham Athletic and Notts County, but his first taste of real success away from The Hawthorns came on a season long loan move to Plymouth Argyle in 2019.

While to Argyle, he kept 14 clean sheets, the highest in the league that season and although the campaign was curtailed due to Covid-19, he helped the Pilgrims win promotion to League One.

His stint in Devon had been impressive as he scooped the PFA League Two fans player of the year, and he had done enough to show those back at Albion that he may be the future.

He penned a new contract, before heading out on loan to Lincoln City. He would play 58 games in all competitions for the Imps, meaning on his return to Albion he had already racked up over 100 senior appearances.

The following season Palmer would sit third in the pecking order behind Sam Johnstone and David Button, and had a brief emergency loan spell at Luton Town.

But on his return he penned another new deal in the summer of 2022. He was edging closer to that Albion spot, and in the EFL Cup that year finally made his senior debut.

It wouldn't be long before he was given the chance to become Albion's main man. A string of errors from David Button had piled pressure on the Albion keeper and then boss Steve Bruce had seen enough.

Palmer was thrown in against Preston in October 2022. Albion lost the game but Palmer caught the eye, with many fans struggling to understand why he had been sitting on the bench all season.

He didn't look back. Aside from an injury picked up in January which saw him ruled out for almost three months, Palmer has been ever present since.

He picked up the Golden Glove award alongside Leeds keeper Illan Meslier, with both claiming 18 clean sheets last season.

As he gets set to depart Albion, it isn't the first time he has been linked with a Premier League move.

Albion rebuffed an error from Luton Town back in 2023, who had then just been promoted to the Premier League. The move didn't go ahead as Palmer wasn't keen to depart at the time.

But now, 14 years after joining the club and just 28 months on from his league debut, he is making the move.

It is a reward for proving himself in the Championship as one of the best goalkeepers in the division. And for Albion, getting £5m of pure profit is a decent reward for sticking with Palmer, developing him, and giving him his chance,