LONDON, Sept 12 ― Newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion have unfinished business in the transfer market as they aim to buy more players but are struggling to get further deals over the line due to a lack of funds, manager Slaven Bilic said yesterday.
West Brom have already signed five players ― Matheus Pereira, Grady Diangana, Callum Robinson, Cedric Kipre and David Button ― in the close-season since earning promotion back to the Premier League after a two-year absence.
Serbia defender Branislav Ivanovic is having a medical ahead of a free transfer, while Bilic also wants loanee Filip Krovinovic back for a second spell at the West Midlands club.
“We are doing everything to be creative but it's not easy to be creative without the proper funds for the players we are talking about,” Bilic told a news conference ahead of tomorrow's season opener at home to Leicester City.
“We don't want quantity players, we want players that will improve us straight away and those players cost money but we are trying, we are close to doing a couple of more deals.
“We're still trying to make the best situation from a difficult transfer window. Not just because of Covid-19 ― we're in a position where we need to spend the funds just to keep the players from last season.”
Huddersfield Town striker Karlan Grant, 22, and the possible loan signing of Chelsea's 20-year-old midfielder Conor Gallagher are also on Bilic's wish-list of attacking reinforcements.
“They are players that are in positions and have the quality that we are trying to get,” the 52-year-old Croat said. “As I said, hopefully, we are going to do it.” ― Reuters
