West Brom transfer state of play as Tony Mowbray discusses striker pursuit
Tony Mowbray is hopeful that he'll have a new centre forward option to add to his ranks as West Bromwich Albion prepare for the transfer window deadline to pass. The Baggies' recruitment team, fronted by sporting director Andrew Nestor and director of football operations Ian Pearce, have until 11pm on Monday to conclude their winter business.
Having already signed midfielder Isaac Price, a long-term signing for which the groundwork of the deal was laid before Mowbray returned to the club earlier this month, Albion have turned their attentions to adding another striker to bolster Mowbray's front-line options. With Josh Maja and Daryl Dike currently sidelined, Albion are after number nine.
No major departures are anticipated, while the club aren't expected, at this stage, to be too busy beyond a desirable striker alternative. It was made clear that their focus, following the sealing of the Price deal, would be on bringing in another attacker, who would likely be at a Premier League club in the form of a loan agreement.
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"The club have done a lot of work in the transfer window," Mowbray said. "Every day, when I go past the room on the way to the canteen I stick my head in and see what they're looking at. Brunty is back in there. I know they're working really hard and I know there are some things they're waiting on. Hopefully they drop in. If they don't, I know it's not through them not putting the hours in.
"We would hope to add to the playing staff, but I know how difficult it is sometimes. Particularly the type of player we're looking at and the circumstances around where we're at - there is the potential they might be loans, rather than signings, but there is also the potential for signings.
"It's not my main priority. I don't spend hours and hours. I stick my head in, have a look, give my opinion and then get on with the team for Saturday. Once upon a time the manager would pick all the players. They're more club decisions now. Especially as I've only been in the building a couple of weeks, I'm not going to give them a big list of players I want to sign. It's not the way I work.
"I look at the players they're looking at. Then I can say yeah, I see why you're looking at him. They're not necessarily going to be the players I have picked - I didn't pick Isaac Price. He was in the system, they'd done all the work on him and it happened. They're well down the line without me coming in and stamping their feet."
Is there a need for topping up his inherited squad elsewhere? Mowbray, by his own admission, is fine to proceed without any more additions; satisfied that Pearce and co are making concerted efforts to add, he will wake up on Tuesday morning without fretting over the business Albion have managed to do or otherwise.
"I haven't really had the discussions, but it does appear as though centre forward is the position which the criteria is saying is what we need to be looking for," Mowbray added. "Otherwise I think we have players who can play in several different positions.
"I spent a whole year at Sunderland without a nine, Diallo was a false nine. It's goals from Mikey and Tom is what we're looking for, too. It depends on the type of centre forward we're looking for - if he's a forward who wants to get in the box, we have to put the ball in the box. We can ask different questions with different players and formations. We have enough attacking players that we have to move it around, we will.
"I'm not here sitting worried that that phone better be ringing next door and that we have to get someone in otherwise it's a disaster, because I don't think it is. Without that player who comes in or doesn't come in, we've just scored five goals. You might pick up injuries and knocks, but we have the versatility.
"It's not critical. Everyone would like someone who scores goals, but Josh will be back hopefully at such a time and Daryl is getting up to speed and he's bursting out of his skin to get back on the pitch."
