Desire to play for Carlos Corberan helped West Brom land Josh Maja on three-year deal
Josh Maja's desire to work with Albion head coach Carlos Corberan led to the Baggies seeing off interest to land the free agent's signature.
London-born Nigeria international Maja, 24, has penned a three-year deal at The Hawthorns and arrives as Corberan's second new recruit of the summer.
Maja has been handed the No.9 shirt at Albion.
Former Sunderland frontman Maja, who burst into life at the Stadium of Light and earned a move to Bordeaux as a 20-year-old, has been a free agent since departing the Ligue 2 outfit this summer.
Albion beat off Championship interest from Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday as well as from Bordeaux, who were keen to retain Maja's services, to land his signature and the presence of head coach Corberan was central to that.
“The club has been tracking Josh for some time and we are really pleased he is joining us," said Albion head of football operations Ian Pearce.
“We have again had to be patient, but Josh is the striker we wanted, and his desire to play for Carlos helped us beat off significant competition from a number of other clubs.”
Maja scored 16 times, the fourth-highest scorer, in the French second tier last term as Bordeaux just missed out on a return to Ligue 1. He was involved in 22 goal involvements in 34 games.
Head coach Corberan insists Maja, who had loan spells away from France with Fulham and Stoke, arrives with "a big desire to succeed."
The Spaniard explained how he sees Maja as a frontman capable of working alongside Brandon Thomas-Asante – the club's sole previous striker – or up front in a lone role.
“I am happy to have Josh here at the club. It was an important aim of ours to reinforce this position during the summer. We have done so with a player who has a big desire to succeed," Corberan said
“Josh has international and Premier League experience and his skills compliment Brandon Thomas-Asante in a way which means they can play together or on their own. He drops deep to build attacks and also has good instincts in the box.
“Josh has been working hard while he has been a free agent this summer but will still need some time with our staff to make sure he is ready to face the challenge of games. We will work with him to manage this process.”
