Jeremy Sarmiento will be looking to show his attacking qualities in Albion colours after joining the club on a season loan from Premier League side Brighton.
The forward has already benefitted from important experiences early into his senior career; making his top-flight debut for the Seagulls in 2021, competing in the 2022 Fifa World Cup with Ecuador, and a full season of senior football at The Hawthorns will be next on the agenda for the Baggies’ first summer signing.
Born in Madrid, Sarmiento moved to England at the age of seven and began his footballing journey in the capital with Charlton Athletic. Peckham, south London, was where the attacker grew up during his early years in the UK while developing his skills in the Addicks’ academy.
Despite his Ecuadorian roots, Jeremy’s initial taste of international football came in the Three Lions’ U16s squad in 2017. Sarmiento played alongside talented young stars such as Liverpool’s Harvey Elliot and Fabio Carvalho up to 18s level before switching his national commitments to La Tri in 2021.
Although his first steps into the professional game at club level came on English soil, an exciting opportunity to join Portuguese giants Benfica arose when the youngster was just 16 - an opening which he embraced.
Three years spent in Lisbon between 2018-2021 saw the confident, forward-thinking attacker bring on his game prior to returning to England in July, where he became another exciting talent in Brighton’s impressive recruitment process.
A maiden debut in senior football followed two months later when Jeremy came off the bench during the Seagulls’ 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over Swansea City, and a memorable maiden outing in England’s top-flight came midway through the 2021/22 campaign - again, off the substitutes’ bench against Leeds United before a first start against West Ham followed in December.
Sarmiento’s first season in English football ended with eight appearances across the Premier League, League Cup and EFL Trophy, and his increased involvement in the Brighton senior team also resulted in a first introduction to the Ecuador setup for their October internationals.
Jeremy made his La Tri introduction in their South American World Cup qualifier against Bolivia - a competition which the Charlton academy graduate not only helped them reach, but also represented them in during November 2022.
He featured in all group matches against Qatar, Netherlands and Senegal but couldn’t help his nation reach the knockout stages of the tournament as they finished third in Group A.
Graham Potter was the boss who gave Sarmiento his first chance in Brighton’s first team, but Roberto De Zerbi’s arrival at the AMEX Stadium as his new head coach created more chances in the starting XI for Sarmiento during the 2022/23 season.
The attacker, who can operate across all of the forward positions, registered his first goal contribution in the Premier League against fellow south-coast outfit AFC Bournemouth. It was an important one, too, providing the assist which helped the Seagulls secure a late 1-0 win.
Jeremy ended his second campaign in English football with 12 appearances and two assists to his name and adding numbers to his game will be an important target during his time in the Black Country, as the Ecuador international prepares for an important year under Carlos Corberán.
