Grzegorz Krychowiak Q&A: From a £34m move to PSG to a West Brom loan switch... who is the Polish midfielder and has Tony Pulis bagged a bargain for the Baggies?

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One year after starring for Poland at Euro 2016 and making a £34million move to PSG, Grzegorz Krychowiak's career has taken an unexpected turn. 

The midfielder has arrived at West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan, subject to international clearance, in what appears to be one of the biggest coups of the transfer window.

Here, Sportsmail answers some of the big questions about Krychowiak, and why Baggies fans should be very excited...

One year after his £34m move to PSG, Grzegorz Krychowiak's career has taken an odd turn

The midfielder has joined West Brom on a season-long loan, subject to international clearance

The Poland international could represent one of the biggest coups of the transfer window

Who is he?

Krychowiak is a 27-year-old defensive midfielder, and becomes Tony Pulis' eighth signing of the summer. He is also the second player to swap Champions League football for The Hawthorns, after Oliver Burke’s move from RB Leipzig.

He played the entirety of Sevilla's Europa League win over Liverpool in 2016, before being a key cog in Poland’s run to the quarter-final of that summer’s European Championship in France, where they were beaten on penalties by eventual champions Portugal.

This persuaded PSG to fork out £34m for his services, however things did not quite go to plan at Parc des Princes.

Krychowiak, 27, is a defensive midfielder and is Tony Pulis' eighth signing of the summer 

What went wrong at PSG?

From marquee signing to playing with the reserves by the new year, Krychowiak's move to PSG has been a complete nightmare.

Even more unusually, he had been asked to be moved there, in order to stay fit for the national side, having played just 16 games for PSG. These included defeats to Bordeaux, Guingamp, and eventual title usurpers Monaco.

Krychowiak was signed before new manager Unai Emery’s arrival last summer, and found himself behind Adrien Rabiot in the pecking order. Now he, like fellow big-money outcast Jese, finds himself unwanted, on loan and mid-table in the Premier League.

He is the second player to swap Champions League for the Hawthorns, after Oliver Burke

Why is he at West Brom?

If Krychowiak himself is to be believed, West Brom are the most impressive of the options he had available.

'I am delighted to sign @WBA on one year loan,' Krychowiak tweeted on Wednesday. 'I had a lot of offers from Spain and Italy. But this is a very ambitious club. There's a good atmosphere here.'

More likely is the international reason again – Krychowiak will want to be part of a Poland squad currently fifth in the FIFA rankings if they qualify for the World Cup in Russia next summer, and knows he will get first-team football at West Brom.

Krychowiak found himself behind Adrien Rabiot in the midfield pecking order in Paris

What sort of player is he?

Krychowiak can play either in the middle of the park or in front of the back four – in Tony Pulis’ preferred 4-4-2, he would provide the defensive ballast alongside Jake Livermore.

The Pole has a few more tricks in his armoury than the Englishman however, with an eye for a long ball, much favoured in a Polish side which has the pace and power of Robert Lewandowski up front.

Krychowiak enjoys a scrap too - he has 63 career yellow cards. West Brom will have to look elsewhere for goals – he hasn’t netted in the league since February 14, 2015. 

Krychowiak will see this move as a chance of first team football before next year's World Cup

Has Tony Pulis done well to sign him?

Absolutely - Krychowiak is a Champions League footballer, and it is surprising a team higher up the football food chain did not move for a player so obviously out of favour at their club.

This is a player central to Sevilla winning back to back Europa League titles and qualifying for the top European club competition. Pulis will hope he can help bridge that enormous points gap that appeared last season between the top seven and the rest of the league.

Krychowiak is a major upgrade in midfield, and new signing Gareth Barry may find few chances than he expected.

Krychowiak is a Champions League footballer, and it is surprising a larger team did not move

Should we be excited to see him in the Premier League?

Intrigued rather than excited – this has the potential to rank among the best Premier League loan moves: Campo to Bolton, Sakho to Crystal Palace, Larsson to Manchester United.

Krychowiak, should he get his head in the right place, should have little difficulty re-adapting to regular club action and to the style of the Premier League.

The Baggies may well have bagged themselves a bargain with this one, to add to a very impressive transfer window.