West Bromwich Albion 'poised' to sign former Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and Bradford City man

A number of senior figures left Barnsley at the end of the season, with Cole among them. He was out of contract at Oakwell and has been a free agent ever since his exit, although appears set for a return to the game.

According to the Express & Star, West Brom are set to add Cole to their ranks as the Baggies reshape their squad ahead of the new season. It appears he could be a replacement for Brandon Thomas-Asante, who is reportedly Coventry City-bound despite interest from Hull City.

Cole, the son of Premier League legend Andy, started his career at Manchester City. While cutting his teeth at the Etihad Stadium, he was given his first taste of regular senior football with a loan switch to Barnsley.

He returned to Oakwell in 2021, joining the Reds on a permanent basis having spent the bulk of the previous six years in League One. Doncaster Rovers had Cole on their books for a period, as did Bradford City.

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Last term, Cole made a blistering start to the season but saw the goals dry up as the campaign progressed. In the latter stages, he was not viewed as indispensable and made a number of appearances from the bench.

In a statement issued following his Barnsley exit, Cole said: "My time at Barnsley has come to an end, I've had some of the best highs here in the last few years along with all the lows. The group we've had has been unreal to play with and off the pitch, some of the best lads you'll meet. A big thank you to the staff for always pushing me.

“We were close so close twice but couldn't quite get it over the line to end it on the highs we all wanted. I've learnt you can't please everyone out there but that's life, but to the fans hearing you sing my name, I'll always appreciate and remember that feeling, there's nothing better after scoring knowing the hard work you put in on the pitch. It will always be a special place for me as it's where my first professional goal came. Thank you for everything, DC44.”