JANUARY, 20, 2017 – Jake Livermore has become West Brom’s first signing of the January transfer window after joining from Hull in a £10million deal.
The former Tottenham midfielder, who moved to the KCOM Stadium permanently in 2014, has signed a four-and-a-half year contract.
Baggies boss Tony Pulis believes Livermore has the skill, energy and character to become a success at The Hawthorns.
‘We’re very pleased. Obviously in this window we’ve lost Callum (McManaman) and Craig (Gardner) so to bring a player in was important for us and obviously we’re very pleased to get Jake,’ Pulis said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
‘We think he’ll be a very good addition to the squad and the team.
‘He’s had a really good background with Tottenham, did very well there and actually got an England cap which I think some people have forgotten, and then having gone to Hull he had the tragedy (the death of his new-born son) that followed him around there which he’s now over.
‘We played him twice this season and he was exceptional in both games. At the age of just 27 we think it’s a really good signing.’
Livermore escaped a drugs ban after testing positive for cocaine as he tried to deal with the death of his son in 2015.
Asked whether signing the midfielder was a gamble, Pulis replied: ‘No not really, he’s a solid kid. He’s had things that have happened in his life that have been very unfortunate and he’s bounced back.
Livermore, who completed his medical on Thursday night, won one cap for England in 2012, but Pulis believes the midfielder’s best years are ahead of him.
He made 21 Premier League appearances for the Tigers this season, scoring once.
