Callum Styles’ new four-year contract means Albion have tied down one of their most consistent players.
The cornerstone of 14 Baggies clean sheets - the league’s fourth-best total - the Hungarian international made the left-back position his own throughout his 3671 Sky Bet Championship minutes in 2025/26.
His versatility has helped him go from squad player, after assuming the role upon his switch to The Hawthorns from Barnsley in the summer of 2024, to winner of the club’s Supporters’ Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season - making him the third player in as many campaigns to scoop both awards.
Capable of playing on the left-hand side of defence, or in midfield - where he can often be found for his national side - Styles has improved vastly and justified his recent contract extension after excelling in several aspects of the game.
Starting with his defensive acumen, which often goes unnoticed due to his ability with the ball, the former Bury, Barnsley, Millwall and Sunderland man perches at the top of the Albion charts for tackles (2.2) and interceptions (1.3) per 90 minutes played - exemplifying his skillset to read the game and the intentions of opposition players.
Even when he’s required to cover those larger spaces and close down tricky wingers, the 26-year-old ranks within the top six per cent of second-tier left-backs for ball recoveries (53) and is within the best four per cent for duels won across the campaign - boasting an eye-catching 217.
Styles is also one of the side’s most active players in possession. His awareness to constantly be an option for his team-mates has aided them in many tricky scenarios throughout 2025/26. He ranks in the top seven per cent of left-backs for touches across all areas of the field (2,808) and successful passes (1,504), meaning his rate of converting those touches to locating a club colleague stands at a colossal 53 per cent.
The Albion No.4 also shows his capabilities as a two-directional full-back. The Hungarian can overlap and underlap from the left flank, especially so given his capabilities in midfield, while also putting both areas of the field to good use too.
Only Mikey Johnston created more big chances in the Albion squad than Styles, who ended the season having laid on three assists and eight big chances for his team-mates - a stellar total amongst the division’s full-backs.
Arguably, his finest performances across the campaign came over the course of two weeks, where he put in excellent efforts against both Sheffield United and QPR.
Starting with the former, Styles was at his best against the Blades in December - a performance to demonstrate how far both sides of his game had improved since signing for the club. Defensively, he helped ride out a challenging first-half storm brought on by Chris Wilder’s side, which, in truth, was caused by the hosts’ own doing, before stepping up to become a key part of their counter-attacking prowess in the 2-0 win.
The Bury-born Baggie ended the win with the highest passes into the final third of any player in navy-blue-and-white, the most duels won amongst his club compatriots, and a well-earned spot in the Who Scored Sky Bet Championship Team of the Week.
💫 Check out @WhoScored's #SkyBetChampionship Team of the Week!
Read more 👉 https://t.co/y1KNP6lZ0Z#EFL pic.twitter.com/P4IpJRBTbH— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) December 16, 2025
During their tussle with the Rs at The Hawthorns just 17 days later, Styles helped Albion open the scoring via a pinpoint left-footed corner towards the back post - which USMNT international George Campbell nodded in for the first goal in a 2-1 win.
Like in the chart-topping Blades’ visit, the defender finished the night with the highest number of tackles and was one of the better progressive passers in the Baggies’ ranks.
But these performances, though they highlight his strengths, don’t come in isolation and because of that, boss James Morrison went as far as to label him as “Mr Consistent” in an interview with BBC WM after he was awarded both season-ending accolades.
His consistency, flexibility and quality to excel in any position or role make Styles a valuable player for the Baggies as they target an improved 2026/27 campaign in the Sky Bet Championship.
