West Bromwich Albion have wrapped up their eighth signing of the summer transfer window, bringing in winger Kareem Tunde from Spanish side Levante on a permanent basis. The 21-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-year contract at The Hawthorns, according to the club's announcement reported by BBC Sport.
A La Masia product arrives in the second tier
Tunde is a product of Barcelona's celebrated La Masia academy, though it was at Levante where he made his mark in senior football. Last season he registered 21 La Liga appearances as Levante battled to preserve their top-flight status, and he had already featured as a substitute in their opening fixture of the new Spanish campaign before his move to the Championship was confirmed.
His arrival adds genuine width and pace to a West Brom squad that has made an eye-catching start to the season. James Morrison's side won their opening two Championship fixtures, away at Norwich and at home to Burnley, to go alongside a League Cup victory at Rotherham, before a narrow 3-2 defeat to Newcastle in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday.
Tunde was present at St James's Park to watch that cup tie, getting his first look at his new team-mates in a live match environment before meeting the Albion squad in person on Thursday.
Tunde eager to hit the ground running
"This move is a chance for me to experience football and life in a new country and that is something that I'm really looking forward to," Tunde said in quotes reported by BBC Sport. "I know the group is in a really positive place right now and everyone has been really friendly to me since I arrived. I want to help the team by providing assists and scoring goals, and I can't wait to get started and play in front of our fans."
Those words paint a picture of a player energised by the challenge rather than daunted by it. Moving from La Liga to the Championship is a significant step in terms of physicality and tempo, but at 21, with a full season of top-flight Spanish football already in the bank, Tunde arrives with a profile that suggests he can handle the demands of the second tier.
The eighth piece of Morrison's summer jigsaw
Tunde's signing rounds off a busy window for the Baggies so far. The club have also brought in goalkeeper Matt Ingram, defender Nolan Galves, midfielders Rabby Nzingoula and Felix Horn Myhre, strikers Barney Stewart and Jimmy-Jay Morgan, as well as securing the return of Conor Townsend from Ipswich Town. The depth and variety of those additions suggest a considered rebuild rather than scatter-gun spending.
The winger could make his debut as early as Saturday, when West Brom host Middlesbrough, understood to be one of the sides expected to challenge at the top of the division after their play-off final appearance last season. That fixture will give supporters their first opportunity to see what Tunde can offer in a Baggies shirt.
With the club sitting in a confident position after their early-season results, the mood at The Hawthorns is positive. Adding an attacking wide player who has already proven he can operate at a high level in Europe's major leagues will only add to that sense of optimism, though it remains to be seen how quickly Tunde adapts to the rhythms of a Championship campaign.
For now, West Brom have the look of a side building with purpose. Whether Tunde proves to be the spark that keeps them in the conversation for the automatic promotion places will become clearer over the coming weeks.
Frequently asked
- Who is Kareem Tunde and where is he from?
- Kareem Tunde is a 21-year-old winger who came through the La Masia academy at Barcelona before breaking into senior football with Spanish side Levante, where he made 21 La Liga appearances last season.
- How long is Kareem Tunde's contract at West Brom?
- Tunde has signed a four-year permanent deal with West Bromwich Albion, joining from Levante.
- When could Tunde make his debut for West Brom?
- Tunde could make his debut as early as Saturday when West Brom face Middlesbrough at The Hawthorns.
