It has been widely reported that the 41-year-old is one of the frontrunners to take the Foxes job, but that would, of course, leave the Baggies without a manager as the new season draws closer.
It remains to be seen who the hierarchy at the King Power Stadium ultimately opt for, but it is a worrying time for West Brom fans who will want some certainty for their club.
Former England international and pundit Carlton Palmer has delivered his verdict on the manager saga.
Palmer believes West Brom can hold onto their man
Palmer believes that the project at the Hawthorns is strong enough to hold onto Corberan, even in the face of Premier League interest.
Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer said: “Speculation still surrounds Carlos Corberan, the West Bromwich Albion manager, which must be a concern for the West Brom supporters. There’s speculation about him taking over at Leicester.
“But there has been no concrete evidence that Carlos Corberan has had talks with Leicester City or any other club for that matter of fact.
“Carlos has been talking about the hierarchy at West Brom, and what they’ve been doing in the money that they’ve invested in upgrading the training ground and the fact that they’ve talked about the fact that they’re going to inject some money, and he’s going to be able to do some business in the transfer market.
“Obviously, this would be a great opportunity for any manager, to manage in the Premier League, but Carlos Corberan is not the only name that’s been linked with the Leicester job. Graham Potter’s name has been linked with the Leicester job.
“So it is a worry for West Brom, because of the job that Carlos Corberan had done last season. But it’s not going to be an easy job to take over at Leicester.
“I mean, obviously they’re going to get some compensation for Maresca. There’s over £10million to come in, but they’re hampered by the [financial] fair play. There’s talk of Dewsbury-Hall being sold.
“So, whilst it’s a great club, fantastic club, in the Premier League, I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as that next season at Leicester City.
“Carlos Corberan seems to be happy with the way things are moving at West Brom, and I’m quietly confident that Carlos Corberan will still be the manager of West Bromwich Albion come the start of the new season.”
Leicester would present a risk to Corberan
Although taking the Foxes job would be a quick ticket to the top flight for Corberan, he must be cautious before taking on the role.
As Palmer states, the club could soon be facing charges under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) which, if found guilty, could lead to points deductions that were faced by the likes of Everton last season.
It is difficult enough for a club to climb out of the Championship and adjust to the pace of the Premier League as it is, so starting that campaign with a deduction would make it even harder.
| Championship standings 2023/24 | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leicester City (C) | 46 | 48 | 97 |
| 2 | Ipswich Town (P) | 46 | 35 | 96 |
| 3 | Leeds United | 46 | 38 | 90 |
| 4 | Southampton | 46 | 24 | 87 |
| 5 | West Brom | 46 | 23 | 75 |
| 6 | Norwich City | 46 | 15 | 73 |
| 7 | Hull City | 46 | 8 | 70 |
| 8 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 9 | 69 |
Corberan has led his side to a fifth-placed finish in his first full season at the Hawthorns and bowed out in the semi-final of the play-offs to the eventual winners Southampton, so he is widely appreciated at West Brom. It feels like he is building something with the club.
If he gambles with Leicester, and it doesn’t pay off, he could have a relegation to add to his CV and there’s no guarantee his new job would be secure in that scenario.
It may be difficult to turn down the chance to manage in the Premier League, but Corberan doesn’t look far off it with the current squad he is building. Palmer predicts the boss will remain with the Baggies for next season. That could well be the wisest choice.
