West Bromwich Albion have their sights firmly set on a place in the Championship play-offs this season at a minimum, and though head coach James Morrison will surely believe his side has enough firepower to get over the line, he may regret one of their past transfer decisions.

West Brom have continued where they left last campaign under James Morrison, and after 12 games into the campaign, sit pretty in fifth place with six wins, three draws, and three defeats.

The former Scotland midfielder oversaw a mass overhaul in the squad over the summer, especially in the final third, as each of Daryl Dike, Jed Wallace, Karlan Grant, and Josh Maja made way for the likes of Barney Stewart, Kareem Tunde, Felix Horn Myhre, and Jimmy-Jay Morgan.

Morrison will be pleased with the makeup of his squad as things stand, though he may hold some resentment regarding a past transfer decision that could have been a game-changer for the Black Country outfit.

West Bromwich Albion decided to allow Reyes Cleary to join Barnsley on a free transfer in 2025

After falling just short of the Championship play-offs in 2025 under the coaching of Carlos Corberan, Tony Mowbray, and Morrison, West Brom underwent a revamp of their squad, recording the notable exits of each of Torbjorn Heggem, Tom Fellows, Caleb Taylor, and Darnell Furlong.

Whilst each of those collected multi-million pound fees, arguably what may prove to be the most significant exit that summer was the decision to allow England youth international winger Reyes Cleary to join League One Barnsley on a free transfer.

Cleary, 22, came through the ranks at the Hawthorns and spent time out on loan with Walsall and Hartlepool United to varying degrees of success, and having most recently played in the National League, arrived in South Yorkshire with few expectations.

Reyes Cleary has been exceptional since joining Barnsley and has previously attracted interest from Stoke City and Derby County

After making the jump from the fifth tier to the third tier, it didn't take Cleary long to show exactly why he had earned caps in a highly-competitive England youth setup.

After being limited to substitute appearances in the first ten League One games of the season, the Englishman was thrust into the Tykes' starting lineup against Wycombe Wanderers, scoring on his full debut, and backed that up with another in the following game against Bradford City.

From there, Cleary was an almost ever-present in Conor Hourihane's starting XI, going on to record seven goals and 13 assists in 42 League One games across the course of the campaign, predominantly from the left flank.

With speculation mounting of a move away from Oakwell over the summer, Cleary has five goals and two assists in 15 appearances across all competitions so far this season, as a big move elsewhere beckons sooner rather than later, with West Brom likely having mixed emotions about the situation.

West Bromwich Albion maintain a significant sell-on clause on Reyes Cleary after Barnsley switch

Having allowed Cleary to leave for nothing in 2025, it was reported that the Baggies maintain a 20 per cent sell-on clause in the deal that saw the winger head to Oakwell, as West Brom will be hoping the League One club can drive up his price as much as possible.

The Tykes rejected bids of around £3 million for the 22-year-old over the summer, and, last January, reportedly demanded a guaranteed £5 million for his services.

Among those interested clubs, as per Mark McAdam via X, were Millwall, Bristol City, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, and Derby County, though you would do well to find any Championship club that wasn't interested in the winger.

Despite handing in a transfer request, Cleary remained at Barnsley beyond the summer deadline, much to the surprise of many, as West Brom have been forced to wait for any potential payout they are due to receive.

However, with Barnsley struggling in League One, it's surely only a matter of time before the likes of Stoke and Derby revisit a deal for Cleary, as a move as early as January mustn't be ruled out.

What do you make of 20 per cent sell-on clause in Cleary's deal? Was it a good decision for West Brom to part ways in this deal or should they have kept him? Share your thoughts below!

James Morrison must regret West Bromwich Albion's transfer decision to allow Reyes Cleary's exit

Given the fact that Cleary's stock has exploded since joining Barnsley, Morrison must be fuming at the decision to allow him to leave for nothing, despite the reported 20 per cent sell-on clause the Baggies retain.

Of course, had they of kept him, there is no guarantee he would've thrived the way he has been able to at Oakwell, as another loan move would have been the correct decision for West Brom to have made.

It's just a matter of time before Cleary gets a big move, and West Brom will profit from the sell-on clause they retain, though they would have been much better off keeping him around instead.