West Brom have won the race to sign Liverpool defender Carter Pinnington, with journalist Pete O'Rourke reporting that the 19-year-old is set to join in a permanent deal. The move gives West Brom a young defender they have pursued ahead of Premier League clubs and other Championship sides.

Pinnington signed his first professional contract with Liverpool in 2024 and was involved in first-team sessions at times during the 2025/2026 campaign, but he now looks set to make the switch for regular senior football elsewhere. He has also played for England at under-15, under-16 and under-18 level, while remaining eligible to represent South Africa.

For West Brom, the deal fits a summer in which the club are trying to back James Morrison after a season that ended with them avoiding relegation to League One. Morrison helped steady the side with a 10-game unbeaten streak, and the club have since announced he has signed a two-year deal as head coach.

That context helps explain why this move matters beyond one academy transfer. West Brom are not only chasing experience as they rebuild, but are also looking to add young talent, with advanced talks already under way for Chelsea forward Jimmy-Jay Morgan on a permanent deal as well. Pinnington’s arrival would add another prospect to that strategy and underline how hard West Brom have worked to move ahead of clubs with higher profiles.

The remaining question is timing. The deal is said to be close, but the permanent move has not yet been formally completed, leaving Pinnington on the verge of a transfer that would take him out of Liverpool’s pathway and into a West Brom squad trying to turn a narrow escape into a stronger season.