West Bromwich Albion are in discussions to bring Toby Collyer back to The Hawthorns on a permanent basis, according to a report from BBC Sport. The 22-year-old midfielder is contracted to Manchester United, but talks over a permanent move to the Championship club are said to be at an early stage.

A familiar face returning to the Midlands

Collyer is no stranger to The Hawthorns. He joined West Brom on loan last summer but his stint in the Midlands was cut short when he returned to United in January after 12 appearances, including three starts. It was, by any measure, an interrupted spell rather than a settled one.

Following his return to Old Trafford, Collyer subsequently joined Hull City on loan, though his time there proved equally frustrating. Fitness issues limited him to just five appearances, and his campaign effectively petered out before it had properly begun. Hull were reported to have had an interest in bringing him back following their promotion out of the second tier, but a deal has not materialised.

That leaves Collyer's immediate future unresolved, and it appears West Brom have moved to explore whether a permanent arrangement might work for both parties. The BBC report notes that Collyer featured in the second half of United's pre-season draw with Leeds United at Croke Park, so he has had some minutes under his belt heading into this window.

What Albion would be getting

Collyer is a central midfielder who came through the youth set-up at Brighton before moving to United. He is still only 22, which means any fee involved is unlikely to be prohibitive, though the precise terms of any deal have not been disclosed. At this stage it would be premature to treat any agreement as done: the BBC's report is careful to use the language of ongoing talks, not concluded business.

For West Brom, the logic is not hard to follow. The club already knows the player, his strengths and, frankly, his injury record. Whether that history is a concern or simply a context the club feels equipped to manage will presumably form part of their internal assessment. Championship clubs operating without parachute payments have to weigh up every piece of outlay carefully, and a player whose fitness has been unreliable carries a degree of commercial risk beyond just the transfer fee.

That said, Collyer showed enough in his loan spell to keep Albion interested, and a permanent deal would at least give the club full control over his development and rehabilitation rather than the more complicated obligations of a loan arrangement.

The broader picture at The Hawthorns

West Brom will be looking to make the second tier count this season. The club have been in and around the promotion conversation in recent campaigns without quite breaking through, and strengthening the midfield with a player they have already assessed in-house carries a certain logic. Whether or not Collyer ends up being the player to push them towards the automatic places or the play-offs remains to be seen, but at the reported stage of these talks, supporters should temper expectations about an imminent announcement.

The report describes talks as early. In transfer windows, that phrase covers a multitude of outcomes, from a deal completed within days to one that quietly fades. West Brom's supporters will be watching for further developments, and the club has offered nothing publicly beyond what has been reported.

If the move does go through, Collyer would arrive hoping for a more settled run than his previous two loan spells have offered. For a 22-year-old, there is still plenty of time to fulfil what is evidently considered genuine potential. Whether The Hawthorns is the right place for that to happen is what the next few weeks of negotiation will determine.

Frequently asked

Has Toby Collyer played for West Brom before?
Yes. Collyer joined West Brom on loan from Manchester United last summer, making 12 appearances including three starts before returning to United in January.
Is the Toby Collyer transfer to West Brom done?
No. According to BBC Sport, talks are at an early stage. No deal has been announced and nothing has been confirmed by either club.
What position does Toby Collyer play?
Collyer is a central midfielder. He came through Brighton's academy before joining Manchester United, and is 22 years old.