West Brom secure stunning Ainsley Maitland-Niles coup

Both players arrived on loan deals until the end of the season in the hope they can help inspire the Baggies to Premier League survival.

England international Maitland-Niles had been close to securing a loan move to Albion from Arsenal last week.

But the news he was available alerted a host of other clubs with Leicester, Southampton and Newcastle then making late bids to land the 23-year-old.

According to reports, Arsenal were reluctant to let Maitland-Niles join Leicester because they see them as rivals for a place in the top six.

And once that move was off the table, Maitland-Niles favoured a move to The Hawthorns because that is where he is more likely to get game time in his preferred position in midfield.

He also wanted to make sure he will get regular game time with the European Championships set to take place this summer.

Turkish international Yokuslu, meanwhile, arrived on loan from Celta Vigo.

He is the second international loan addition Albion have made this month with striker Mbaye Diange arriving from Galatasaray.

The Express & Star understands Yokuslu will arrive in England later this week with manager Sam Allardyce saying he is likely to be on the bench for Sunday’s clash at Tottenham.

Baggies fans have been eager for the club to sign a defensive midfielder ever since the transfer window opened.

And Allardyce hopes Yokuslu can impact Albion in the same way Luka Milivojević did while he was in charge of Crystal Palace.

He said: “I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, hopefully, he won’t’ hear this, but in the past Luka Milivojević at Crystal Palace made a massive difference in that position – sitting midfield – protecting the back four which is massive for us because we concede too many goals.

“But also his passing ability – both short and long range – is what we have been looking at.

“I think signing him shows just how hard the pandemic has hit everyone.

“If he – like Mbaye Diagane – is willing to come to the Premier League and fight with us, it shows you that we have probably been a little fortunate in this window.

“Taking advantage of the pandemic is what I think we have done.

“To get them on loan has been a long haul. But to get players on loan with this sort of quality, I think it is really great for all the hard work we have done behind the scenes.

“It’s been a tough old negotiation. Yes, as a manager I would have liked them in quicker.

“But the important thing is that we get them in the end because there are 17 games to go and hopefully points and wins will come more often than defeats.”

Meanwhile, two players left The Hawthorns on deadline day.

Midfielder Sam Field joined QPR on loan with a view to a permanent move, while centre-back Cedric Kipre signed for Charleroi in Belgium on loan.