West Brom have tabled an offer to land a new striker in the final days of the transfer window as they look to hand Carlos Corberan more firepower in their bid for Championship promotion.
West Brom start season strongly
After two games, last season's Championship play-off semi-finalists remain unbeaten as they look to improve on last season's finish.
Corberan's side came from behind to beat QPR on the opening day of the campaign thanks to a hat-trick from striker Josh Maja, before they were held to a goalless draw at home to Leeds United in a game where they dominated possession but lacked any real cutting edge.
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In between, they were dumped out of the EFL Cup by lowly League Two outfit Fleetwood Town in a game where a much-changed side showed the lack of quality depth available to the West Brom boss.
They have already made seven new signings this summer, but only one required a transfer fee, with defender Torbjorn Heggem arriving from Swedish side IF Brommapojkarna in a deal worth £500,000. Beyond that, their business has been limited to loan deals and free transfers.
West Brom's new additions summer 2024 (via Transfermarkt)
Player
Fee
Torbjorn Heggem
£500,000
Gianluca Frabotta
Free
Joe Wildsmith
Free
Ousmane Diakite
Free
Devante Cole
Free
Lewis Dobbin
Loan
Paddy McNair
Free
Speaking ahead of his side's clash with Leeds, Corberan admitted more business was needed though.
“It is not that I ‘want’, it is that we have to. We have the need of three or four options. If you know the players that we have lost, it gives you a possibility in terms of the needs that we have to cover", he told BirminghamLive.
Now, he could get his wish with West Brom tabling an offer to sign a new striker.
West Brom chase EFL man likened to Berbatov
That comes amid claims that the Baggies have tabled a bid to sign Will Keane from Preston North End, and have already had a reply. Now 31 years of age, Keane was a youth player at Manchester United but never managed to break into the first team, eventually leaving after several loan spells.
But he has carved out a career for himself in the Championship and League One, playing and scoring for Hull City, Wigan, Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday. Now at Preston North End, he found the net 13 times across the 2023/24 campaign, following on from his 12-goal campaign the year before.
After notching his 12th goal of the 2023/24 season, BBC Radio Lancashire discussed his display, naming him man of the match and likening him to former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov.
“Throughout the game, each and every single player was the man of the match, honestly, in different spells. He didn’t complete the 90 but it would be Will Keane for me; I thought his touch was like Berbatov at times!”
Now, he is on West Brom's radar, with the Baggies having made an approach to sign him in recent days.
However, West Brom's bid has been knocked back by Preston, who want to keep their striker. Keane has just 12 months left to run on his £2,000-a-week deal, but Preston are nonetheless keen to keep him.
The offer was described as "low" and as a result was "swiftly turned down", a fact which has seen West Brom not return to the table and has therefore made a deal unlikely before the transfer window shuts.