West Brom eager to do business on transfer deadline day
Albion are closing in a loan deal for Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy – and are hoping for further additions on deadline day.
Murphy has been the Baggies’ top target for the past week, and is expected to arrive today after a flurry of activity at Newcastle paved the way for his exit.
Tony Pulis’s Middlesbrough are interested in Murphy too, and will provide competition, but as the Express & Star revealed earlier this week, the 23-year-old is keen to join the Baggies.
He has been earmarked to replace Harvey Barnes in Albion’s front three after the youngster was recalled by Leicester.
Albion do not expect their business to end with Murphy, and are keen to make one or two more additions before tonight’s 11pm deadline.
Sunderland left-back Bryan Oviedo could arrive on loan as back-up to Kieran Gibbs to allow Conor Townsend to leave on loan.
The Baggies are also targeting another forward after Bakary Sako rejoined Crystal Palace, freeing up £30,000-a-week from the wage bill.
Fulham bad-boy Aboubakar Kamara, who was arrested last week following an altercation at the Cottagers’ training ground, has not been ruled out.
Darren Moore was keen on Brentford’s Romaine Sawyers and Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings earlier this month but deals for those two are now unlikely.
The Baggies could bring in a central midfielder, but recently impressive form from Sam Field and Rekeem Harper means the front line is the priority.
Field and Harper are not expected to leave on loan, although fellow youngsters Kyle Edwards and Jack Fitzwater could.
The Baggies are expected to keep hold of both Jay Rodriguez and Craig Dawson, who interested Burnley in the summer.
Murphy would become the club’s second signing of the window behind Mason Holgate. He would become the fourth loanee at the club. EFL clubs are allowed eight loanees in total, but just five in any match day squad.
