Erik Pieters offer with three senior exits in West Brom retain list
Albion are in talks with experienced defender Erik Pieters over a new contract.
Former Stoke and Burnley defender Pieters, who turns 35 in August, was signed as a free transfer by Steve Bruce last September and went on to become a regular in the side, with 36 appearances in all competitions.
The club have confirmed the Dutchman is in negotiations to extend his stay at The Hawthorns. Pieters, who spent most of his career at left-back, stepped in as a central defender with Semi Ajayi and Kyle Bartley injured for lengthy stints.
However, fellow members of Carlos Corberan’s first-team squad Jake Livermore, Tom Rogic and Kean Bryan have been released at the end of their deals, the club’s retained list confirmed.
Club captain Livermore’s exit had already been confirmed. The former England international, 33, penned an open letter to supporters last month as his six-year stay at the club reached its ending.
Livermore started just 10 league games last season, the last of which was Corberan’s first game in charge, defeat to Sheffield United on October 29.
There are also exits for senior duo Rogic, 30, the attacking midfielder who also arrived as a free agent last autumn, and defender Bryan, whose 18 months at the club have been ravaged by injury, notably a lengthy ACL setback.
Australia international Rogic managed just four league starts for Albion after his exit from Celtic, where he won 16 major honours in 10 seasons. He played 23 times in all competitions during 2022/23, scoring twice, including one fine strike at Sunderland.
Former Manchester City youngster Bryan, 26, himself checked in as a free transfer as injury cover in September 2021, but a serious knee injury in just his third appearance – and first start – sidelined the versatile defender for more than a year.
Bryan struggled with subsequent setbacks on his way back to fitness and spent the latter part of the season training with the under-21s.
Baggies academy graduate goalkeeper Ted Cann, 22, has earned a one-year extension until 2024. Cann spent the second half of the season on loan at step six National League North.
Under-21 players Jamie Andrews, Mo Faal, Aaron Harper-Bailey and Brad Foster have all received offers to stay at the club, as have second-year scholars Fenton Heard, Akeel Higgins, Layton Love and Narel Phillips.
Other youngsters have been released at the end of their deals, including Quevin Castro and Rico Richards.
Also leaving the Baggies academy are Ramello Mitchell, Cianole Nguepissi, Sammy Okaka, Sam Oluwatobi, Beau Hudd, Tobias Hurlock, Femi Olofinjana, Archie Oliver and Jesse Wangussi.
