West Bromwich Albion have moved to sign Levante youngster Kareem Tunde, with a deal now agreed between the two clubs.
The 21-year-old is leaving the Spanish side for the Championship after establishing himself in their first team. His move to West Brom is now being treated as effectively done in Valencia.
Superdeporte reported on Monday that Tunde was heading to England. They initially said his destination would be the Championship before À Punt identified West Brom as his new club.
SER Deportivos Valencia have since taken the story a step further. They say Levante have “closed” the player’s transfer to the Baggies.
West Brom paying up to €5m
According to SER Deportivos Valencia, West Brom will pay €3m (£2.6m) as a guaranteed fee. Another €2m (£1.7m) can follow through bonuses, taking the overall package to €5m (£4.3m).
Levante have also protected themselves in case Tunde’s value rises significantly in England. The Spanish club will retain 20% of a future transfer. Of course they would be interested in seeing what Tunde does next.
That gives West Brom a relatively inexpensive route to a young player who has already gained senior experience in Spain.
Tunde came through Levante’s academy and made his first-team debut around nine months ago. He has since become a useful option for Luís Castro.
The youngster played 21 matches under the Portuguese manager, accumulating 1,143 minutes.
Also, Tunde was converted into a right-back during pre-season because Levante lacked options in the position. Castro clearly liked what he saw and continued using him on the right.
Transfer already affecting Levante plans
There is another strong indication that the move to West Brom is now at the final stages.
Levante face Osasuna on Monday, yet Tunde did not travel with the squad to El Sadar. Superdeporte explains that he stayed behind while waiting for his Championship transfer to be completed.
For the Baggies, the immediate task is to get everything formally completed. In Spain, there appears to be little doubt now about where the youngster is heading.
