West Bromwich Albion
‘Absolute legend’, ‘look after him’: Some fans react as West Brom sign their ‘brilliant’ former player
West Bromwich Albion have announced the signing of Branislav Ivanovic on a one-year deal.
The Serbia defender joins the Baggies on a free transfer, having left Zenit Saint Petersburg in July after a three-and-a-half-year stint.
Prior to his time in Russia, Ivanovic had a glittering spell with Chelsea, winning three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup, one Champions League and one Europa League.
(Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
The 36-year-old made 377 competitive appearances for the Blues between 2008 and 2017, registering 34 goals and 34 assists.
In addition, Ivanovic has appeared at two World Cups for Serbia – 2010 in South Africa and 2018 in Russia – and is his nation’s most capped player with 105 appearances.
He becomes Slaven Bilic’s sixth signing of the summer after Grady Diangana, Matheus Pereira, Cedric Kipre, David Button and Callum Robinson.
“He’s a great addition for us, a team who are newly promoted in the Premier League,” Bilic told the WBA website. “He ticks all the boxes for us.
“He’s done everything in his career – it’s been magnificent. We’re delighted. He adds quality and experience on the pitch and off the pitch.
“So it is not only him, it is him plus the influence he will have on not just defenders but the whole team around him. That’s why we targeted him as one of our prime targets. It’s a great signing for us.”
Plenty of Chelsea fans were pleased to see Ivanovic, a Stamford Bridge legend, back in the Premier League, and welcomed him back on social media:
So happy to see Ivanovic back in the prem. hope fans are aloud in when we have West Brom at home so he can get the appreciation he deserves.
— 🐐 (@GoatedCFC) September 15, 2020
A 45 year old Branislav Ivanovic will still walk into any PL team and automatically becomes the best RB in the PL.
— Naafae (@CFCNaafae) September 15, 2020
Good luck Ivanovic, brilliant defender for Chelsea, was pretty gutted when he left tbh 💙⚽️ https://t.co/sPNOL8hHZP
— Chloe Farmer (@ChloeFarmerCFC) September 15, 2020
Brilliant to see Ivanović back 😍
— CFCGill (@CFCGill_) September 15, 2020
Seeing Branislav Ivanovic back in the Premier League is great. Hope it goes well for him at West Brom. #cfc
— Oliver Harbord (@ojharbord) September 15, 2020
Welcome back, Brana 💙
— Alex Goldberg (@AlexGoldberg_) September 15, 2020
Great to have you back Brana
— Tom Overend (@tovers98) September 15, 2020
Wishing you all the best, you absolute legend 🔵
— Lewis Clay (@lewiscfcgtfc) September 15, 2020
@Phelps_Paul Look after him
— Michael Temple (@Mykee_T) September 15, 2020
