Don Goodman spots West Brom’s next 20-goal striker as £4.7m Aune Heggebo deal nears

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One suspects West Brom icon Don Goodman would have been delighted to hear the news which emerged on Friday afternoon regarding SK Brann star Aune Heggebo.

The former Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland frontman was a prolific goalscorer at the Hawthorns between 1987 and 1991.

Unfortunately for a Baggies side who finished three places and five points adrift of the play-offs last season, the current West Brom roster lacks a centre-forward of Don Goodman’s quality.

Josh Maja was the only Albion player to reach double figures in the 2024/25 Championship campaign. The injury-hit Daryl Dike was limited to only one league start, while Adam Armstrong returns to Southampton after an underwhelming loan spell in the Midlands.

West Brom have been linked with Jacques Siwe of Guingamp but, as of this week, nothing is advanced. Much to the relief of supporters and former players alike, the same cannot be said of Aune Heggebo.

Fabrizio Romano reports that West Brom have agreed a deal to sign Heggebo from Norwegian outfit SK Brann.

Though there is another free-scoring centre-forward a lot closer to home who Goodman would also like to see don the navy and white stripes; Leyton Orient talisman Charlie Kelman.

Don Goodman talks up Charlie Kelman as West Brom near Aune Heggebo deal

While Norway Under-21 international Heggebo has seven goals in 15 games this season, such a tally pales in comparison to Kelman’s remarkable campaign at Leyton Orient.

Kelman hit the target a staggering 27 times as Orient came within touching distance of joining West Brom in the Championship. The London-based outfit lost in a tense play-off final against Charlton Athletic.

Presumably, neither Goodman nor the Baggies faithful knew much about Heggebo before that bombshell report exploded on Friday. The striker-turned-pundit knows a whole lot more about Kelman, however. Enough to feel that the Queens Park Rangers-owned striker could end the club’s six-year wait for a 20-goal a season forward.

“Charlie Kelman had a phenomenal season for Leyton Orient on loan last season,” Goodman tells Football League World. “Obviously, 21 goals during the regular season in the league is exceptional, so I’m not surprised that he’s being linked with other clubs.

“You would suspect that the new Queens Park Rangers boss [Julian Stephan replaced Marti Cifuentes at Loftus Road] will want to have a close look at him over the next few weeks and assess whether he has the ability to lead the line in the Championship.

“I can also understand why West Bromwich Albion would be sniffing around because they have struggled with a number nine.”

Goodman thinks QPR could welcome Kelman back this summer

Maja made a flying start with seven in his first seven outings of 2024/25, including an opening-day hat-trick against the aforementioned QPR. He would net only five more, however, while missing the second half of the campaign with a calf injury.

“They must have thought they’d cracked it at the start of the first half of last season with Josh Maja, and he unfortunately got injured,” Goodman adds. “Daryl Dike has had his injury issues.

“So, it’s been quite a while since West Brom have had a reliable number nine that’s maybe got 20 goals, so I’m not surprised that they’re sniffing.

“But I’d be very surprised if Julien Stephan doesn’t have a real good look at Charlie Kelman before deciding whether or not he’d be happy for him to leave.”

No West Brom player has scored 20 goals in a season since Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez both achieved the feat in 2018/19.

New Baggies boss Ryan Mason will hope to bring attacking reinforcements in the building before the new season kicks off, then, with the Heggebo deal a very good start. At £4.7 million, he is expected to become their most expensive signing since Dike.

Mason, meanwhile, got the gig after new Wolfsburg boss Paul Simonis turned West Brom down.