Alan Pardew to discuss January budget with West Brom owner Guochuan Lai this weekend

Lai is coming over to England for Albion's game with Manchester United on Sunday and is due to meet Pardew for the first time.

Albion's new head coach had a meeting with technical director Nick Hammond on Friday to discuss January transfer plans, but he's not sure how much cash will be available.

The Baggies need to sell to buy this January because they are at the top of their wage limit, but Pardew would like extra investment for transfer fees.

"My initial conversations with Nick is ahead of going back to the owner to say, ‘ok this is where we think we might need some cover, or to improve a position, therefore what are our funds, how do we stand?' said Pardew.

"That conversation hasn’t happened. I’ve had the Nick conversation, I haven’t had the main conversation.

"I will probably have that this weekend because I think the owner is coming to the game, subject to travel arrangements he should be here, and we will probably have those conversations.

"That will be the first time I’ve met him. I will probably talk to him about a lot of things really.

"We will have an informal meeting as well as formal meeting. I think it is important I understand what he wants to do with the football club, and he understands what i would like to do because it has to go in unison really.

"It hasn’t always happened that my thinking is the same as the chairman or the board at a football club. Sometimes it's not and you have to go and adjust your own ambitions."

Pardew is beginning to get an idea of where he needs additions, and has already identified targets with Hammond, although he will not act on them until he speaks to Lai.

And he plans to give his existing players more chances to impress him between now and the window.

“It was important that we looked at weaknesses in the squad," said Pardew. “With our record of injured players, we want to protect ourselves if we can do.

“We still have four or five games before the transfer window opens. A lot can happen. We need to be on our guard.

“We’ve talked about players who might be available. We won’t make an approach to any club or player just yet.

“We’re going to get through the next few games. It depends on our results, injuries and performances. It’s those three factors, really."

Albion have scored just 12 league goals this season and haven't found the net in any of Pardew's three games in charge, so he was asked if he wanted a striker in January.

“I don’t know if that’s our priority, but if you look at our goalscoring record, maybe it is," he said.

“I’ve got every faith in my current strikers. Rondon was superb at Liverpool without getting any chances crafted for him.

“We’ve got to craft more for him. We’ll have to make more chances."

The Baggies are also bracing themselves for interest in captain Jonny Evans, with Manchester City, Arsenal, West Ham, and Everton all reportedly keen on the Northern Irishman.

“We will have to cover all of those scenarios," admitted Pardew. "It’s not nice having to deal with all of that but I’m still hopeful.

“He’s just a great player, I think he showed the other night at Liverpool. He could easily wear a Man United shirt on Sunday, no problem.”