West Bromwich Albion have signed out-of-contract Atletico Madrid defender Pablo Ibanez on a three-year deal.

The 28-year-old ex-Spain international has spent the last seven seasons in La Liga and will join Albion on 1 July.

Baggies manager Roberto di Matteo told the club website: "Pablo has a great pedigree and is at a good age.

"He also played in the Champions League for Atletico and the World Cup for Spain so the Premier League should hold no fears for him."

Although he has had a lengthy career at the Spanish club, he made just seven appearances last season after falling out of favour with new boss Quique Sanchez Flores, who took over in October 2009.

Ibanez becomes Di Matteo's third signing since clinching promotion to the Premier League, following the capture of Blackburn midfielder Steven Reid and Auxerre defender Gabriel Tamas.

Sunderland and West Brom are battling to land in-demand Egyptian Ahmed Al-Muhammadi, skysports.com understands.

Al-Muhammadi has long been linked with a move to England, and has spent time on trial with the likes of Blackburn and Sunderland.

The 22-year-old, who can play anywhere down the right, is now set for a move to the Premier League - with both Sunderland and West Brom looking to take him on loan.

His club ENPPI are now considering their options, but they are believed to be open to the idea of letting Al-Muhammadi leave on loan - with a view to a permanent deal.

Sources in Egypt suggest Al-Muhammadi could travel to England for talks this week.

Skysports.com understands West Brom have entered the race to sign former Portsmouth striker Frederic Piquionne.

Piquionne spent last season on loan at Portsmouth from Lyon and impressed at Fratton Park with 11 goals despite their relegation from the Premier League.

A number of clubs have expressed an interest in the talented forward with Fulham and West Ham both having made offers for Piquionne earlier this month.

Fulham are understood to have tabled a new bid for the French international last week as they look to bring him to Craven Cottage, but now West Brom have thrown their hat into the ring for Piquionne by making an offer.

Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo is keen to bolster his attacking options and he is hoping to steal a march on his Premier League rivals by luring the skilful forward to The Hawthorns.

Four other Premier League clubs, including Blackburn, are thought to be monitoring Piquionne's situation with the 31-year-old available for a cut-price €1million.

Turkish side Fenerbahce have made an offer for Piquionne, but the Frenchman is understood to be ready to snub overtures from the Turks as he has his heart set on a switch to England.

Piquionne is expected to travel to England later this week to hold talks with his interested suitors as he looks to secure a switch back to the Premier League.

Boaz Myhill could be the next to join the Hull City exodus as three Premier League clubs are considering bidding for the Welsh international goalkeeper.

BBC Sport understands Champions League qualified Tottenham Hotspur, Europa Cup finalists Fulham and Premier League new boys West Bromwich Albion are keen.

Hull value Myhill at £2m and are trying to reduce their £35m debt after relegation from the Premier League.

The eight-times capped 27-year-old has two years remaining on his Hull deal.

Myhill, who joined the Tigers from Premier League side Aston Villa in 2003, played a key role in inspiring Hull into the top flight for the first time in the club's history.

The Californian-born keeper, honoured as Hull's player of the year in 2006, is in an elite band of players to have helped take the Tigers up through all four divisions from League Two to the Premier League.

Myhill started initially for Hull in the Premier League but was briefly dropped by former manager Phil Brown in favour of Matt Duke, although he regained his position before the end of the season.

The Welshman impressed at the start of last season and was rewarded with a new KC Stadium deal.

He then produced a stunning display at Tottenham in January, pulling off a string of superb saves to earn struggling Hull a goalless draw at top-four Tottenham.

Now Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is believed to be lining up Myhill as competition to current White Hart Lane number one Heurelho Gomes.

Financially troubled Hull, who have appointed Nigel Pearson as their new manager, are trying to reduce their £35m debt and have already sold Irish international midfielder Stephen Hunt, plus French defender Steven Mouyokolo to Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer.

West Brom midfielder Borja Valero has joined Spanish side Villarreal on a season-long loan, with a view to a permanent deal.

The 25-year-old had returned to training with the Baggies after his previous loan at Real Mallorca ended.

West Brom rejected a bid from Sevilla for the Spaniard last month but agreed to let him join Villarreal for "professional and family reasons".

He was Albion's record signing at £4.7m when he joined from Mallorca in 2008.

Valero, who began his career at Real Madrid, had been hoping for a move back to his native Spain and the newly-promoted Baggies agreed following "lengthy negotiations".

West Brom sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth told the club's official website: "After relegation in 2009 we agreed to loan Borja to Real Mallorca.

"On the back of an outstanding season in Spain, and taking into account his professional and personal wishes, we decided to accept an offer from Villarreal.

"I'd like to thank Borja for his contribution and his professional attitude throughout the last two years and we wish him well over the coming season."

Preston have turned down a third bid for goalkeeper Andrew Lonergan from Premier League side West Brom, according to their club website.

The Championship side's manager Darren Ferguson values the 26-year-old at £20m and is determined to hold on to him.

"They have been in three times now and we have turned down every bid," said the former Peterborough boss.

"We got the latest bid today [Tuesday] but I value him at £20m - I don't want to sell him."

The Scot added: "I think everyone has some sort of perception the club is skint but the chairman and the owner are trying to help me as much as they can and to turn down a third bid suggests that.

"Andy has been here 10 years, has been brought up a Preston player and he has never said to me that he wants to move on.

"I respect that if some sort of deal was agreed and he has to speak to them then that's fine, but West Brom are nowhere near our valuation and I think it is dead in the water.

"I can't control whether they bid again, but Andy is fine with the situation. He has been good, trained very well and we move on."

Local player Lonergan began his career at Preston and made his debut at the age of 16 in a League Cup tie away to Coventry City.

Eric Djemba-Djemba has travelled to England to reportedly hold talks over a free transfer move to West Bromwich Albion.

The Cameroon midfielder currently plays for Odense, but has been given permission to miss the Danish club's game against Randers on Monday night.

Though Odense refused to confirm the exact reason for the 29-year-old sitting out the Randers encounter, reports in Denmark claim he has been allowed to discuss a return to the Premier League.

Odense coach Lars Olsen said: "Eric will not be involved (against Randers) because we have allowed him to travel abroad.

"It is for personal reasons which we cannot say more about."

Djemba-Djemba previously endured a frustrating time in English football after joining Manchester United in 2003 from French club Nantes.

He made 39 appearances for United before joining Aston Villa in 2005, but again struggled to make an impression in the Premier League.

After a loan spell with Burnley, and a stint in Qatar, Djemba-Djemba joined Odense two years ago, but could now seal a move to top-flight new boys West Brom.

Hull City have received a bid for Wales international keeper Boaz Myhill from Premier League West Bromwich Albion believed to be in the region of £1.5m.

Myhill, 27, has made 277 appearances for the club having joined from Aston Villa in 2003 for £50,000.

Hull's head of football operations Adam Pearson told BBC Radio Humberside they have yet to accept the offer.

"We've had one firm offer [from West Brom] in today and that is currently being considered," he said.

Myhill is reluctant to move away from East Yorkshire and has reportedly turned down two offers to leave the KC Stadium this summer with Fulham and Tottenham believed to have expressed an interest in him.

However, Pearson says the club have been left with no choice but to sell their long-serving stopper.

"The fact that we owe a lot of money to other clubs puts us under some pressure to raise cash this summer," he said.

"All we've raised so far is the cash off the sales of Stephen Hunt and Steven Mouyokolo to Wolves so it does put you under pressure to look at the deals and the position of the club is such that we have to consider them carefully."

Myhill's impending departure will be a disappointing one for Pearson: "He's a player I've known a long, long time and have got a lot of time for. He has [played] a very special part in the club's history so it's not an easy decision."

The United States-born keeper joined Hull when they were in the bottom tier of the Football League - and enjoyed three promotions with them, followed by this summer's relegation from the Premier League.

Skysports.com understands that Premier League new-boys West Brom are leading the chase for Fulham's Ghana international defender John Pantsil.

The 29-year-old is now back with the Cottagers following a successful World Cup finals where the Black Stars reached the quarter finals before having their hearts broken by Uruguay.

Fulham have just named Mark Hughes as their new boss and it is believed the ex-Manchester City manager could be prepared to let the defender leave.

The Craven Cottage outfit have been linked with Aston Villa right-back Luke Young and are mulling over selling Pantsil rather than losing him for free next summer.

The former West Ham defender, who has performed consistently at Premier League level, has one year left on his Fulham contract.

West Bromwich Albion have boosted their goalkeeping options by completing a deal to bring in Boaz Myhill from Hull City.

Myhill has signed a three-year contract at The Hawthorns, with an option for a further 12 months and will battle with Scott Carson for the No.1 sport.

He has cost a fee in the region of £1.5million and the Wales international's sale will help to ease Hull's financial difficulties.

Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo had been looking to bring in a rival for Carson and is happy to have added Myhill to his squad.

Good pedigree

"I'm delighted to welcome Boaz to the club," Di Matteo told the club's official website.

"He joins us at a good age and with a good pedigree, having helped Hull win promotion to the top flight and spent the last two seasons in the Barclays Premier League.

"Boaz obviously knows what it takes to play at the top level and he's also a good character. I'm sure he will fit nicely into our goalkeeping department.

"Competition is vital in all areas of the squad and I'm confident Scott and Boaz will drive each other on."

Myhill made over 270 appearances during his career with the Tigers and was a key figure in the club's rise up the ladder to the Premier League.

Posted on: Sat 07 Aug 2010

ROBERTO Di Matteo has confirmed his interest in Nicky Shorey and hopes to complete a deal for the Villa left-back in the next 48 hours.

The head coach has revealed England international Shorey has passed a Hawthorns medical and is expected to tie up the loose ends of his move at the start of next week.

Di Matteo believes Shorey, voted the best left-back in Reading's history in a fans' poll, will add valuable top flight experience to his squad.

"Nicky has completed a medical and we are hopeful he will become one of our players over the next 24-48 hours," said the ex-Italian international, speaking after today's 1-1 draw with Osasuna - the club's final pre-season friendly.

"We're quite far down the line with Nicky. We hope he will join us.

"Nicky will increase competition for places.

"He's composed on the ball and a good defender.

"It will also be nice to add some Premier League experience to the squad, because we are a young team.

"Nicky knows what it takes to play at the highest level."

Former England full-back Nicky Shorey has joined West Brom from local rivals Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee.

The 29-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the Baggies, who have the option of a further year.

"I'm delighted to welcome Nicky to the club - he is a player I've liked for some time," said West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo.

"He's an experienced, solid, reliable left-back who likes to get forward and get involved."

Shorey is the club's fifth summer signing, following in the footsteps of Pablo Ibanez, Steven Reid, Boaz Myhill and Gabriel Tamas.

After starting his career at Leyton Orient in 1998, Shorey moved to Reading in February 2001 and went on to make almost 300 league and cup appearances for the Royals.

He moved to Villa in the summer of 2008 but found first-team chances harder to come by, managing only 37 appearances.

Last season Shorey had loan spells at both Nottingham Forest and Fulham.

His two England caps came in friendlies against Brazil and Germany in 2007.

West Bromwich Albion manager Roberto Di Matteo has confirmed he is still trying to sign Liverpool striker David Ngog.

Di Matteo has spent the past few weeks pursuing a deal for the Frenchman as he continues his quest to add to his squad following promotion back to the Premier League.

And, ahead of the Baggies' opening match of the season against Chelsea on Saturday, Di Matteo is not giving up on a move for Ngog.

"Ngog is a player we've been linked with and we are working on that one," said Di Matteo. "We're trying. It's ongoing.

"We are looking at a number of players we would like to sign."

However, Di Matteo may find persuading Liverpool to part with Ngog a tricky task after the youngster impressed during the recent Europa League play-off against Rabotnicki.

Ngog scored three of Liverpool's four goals during the tie and new Reds boss Roy Hodgson has stated he is not looking to let the forward leave.

The 21-year-old is also expected to lead the line for Liverpool's opening Premier League fixture against Arsenal on Sunday with Fernando Torres unlikely to be fit.

Roberto Di Matteo has confirmed that West Brom have agreed terms with Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie and he hopes that the move will be completed as soon as possible.

The Lokomotiv Moscow player claimed on Tuesday that he had signed a contract with the Premier League club and boss Di Matteo is now waiting on international clearance for the transfer to become official.

West Brom have been eager to increase their attacking options throughout the summer as they aim to avoid an immediate return to the Championship following last season's promotion.

The task appears to be a difficult one after a six-goal hammering at Premier League champions Chelsea on the opening day, so Di Matteo hopes that Odemwingie will raise spirits at The Hawthorns ahead of Saturday's arrival of Sunderland.

"We've agreed terms with Peter Odemwingie," the Italian told the Birmingham Mail.

Great pace

"We are still sorting out his visa so he's not here yet. Hopefully he'll join us ASAP. That will give the players a lift."

Di Matteo added: "He's got a great CV and he's a good player. We need a few new faces and it lifts everyone when you see a player like him coming in.

"I'm pleased he is joining us because I'm sure he will be able to help us. He has got great pace.

"He is two-footed and has good experience at a very high level. He's played as a striker and a winger in his career."

Di Matteo has also said that West Brom are attempting to complete the signing of Red Bull Salzburg winger Somen Tchyoi.

Competition

"We're still working on it but we haven't finalised it yet," he explained.

West Brom are also hopeful of adding another striker to their squad before the transfer deadline, but Di Matteo recognises that time is running out.

"Let's see," he said. "I would like to have some competition and more strength in the team.

"But what I would like is really secondary to what we can do. To be honest, we have to realise that this is what we can work with.

"At the beginning of the season I did say something that I wanted a bit more, but we just have to get on with it. There is nothing I can do."

Skysports.com understands that West Brom have tabled a £3million offer for FC Twente midfielder Cheick Tiote.

The Baggies ran the rule over the talented 24-year-old when Italy played Ivory Coast in a recent friendly at Upton Park.

Tiote played the full 90 minutes of the 1-0 friendly success and his performance clearly caught the eye of watching scouts.

West Brom boss Roberto Di Matteo has made five signings this summer, but Steven Reid is his only added midfield option.

Tiote made four World Cup appearances in South Africa over the summer and played in victories over Japan and North Korea.

The midfielder began his career in Belgium with Anderlecht before joining Twente in 2008 after a loan spell with Roda JC.

Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie has joined Premier League side West Brom on a two-year-deal for an undisclosed fee from Lokomotiv Moscow.

Odemwingie, who has 51 international caps and can also play in midfield, has received his work permit and may be in Saturday's squad to face Sunderland.

The club have the option to extend the player's contract for a third year.

"I couldn't refuse the chance to come play in the Premier League," the 29-year-old told BBC Sport.

Odemwingie, who appeared in his country's World Cup matches against Argentina and Greece this summer, still has to wait for international clearance on his move before he can make his debut.

The paperwork must come through an hour before kick-off if he is to play.

Odemwingie revealed his appetite for the English top-flight had been whetted after conversations with some of his Premier League-based team-mates.

"The players talked about England in a good way so once this opportunity presented itself, I simply asked Lokomotiv to consider it," he stated.

"These are the opportunities you hope for when you decide to become a footballer. This is the next chapter of my career," he continued.

Odemwingie is the sixth player to move to The Hawthorns this summer and manager Robert Di Matteo is pleased with the quality and versatility he brings to his squad.

"Peter has got great pace, is two-footed, scores goals and has good experience at a very high level," said Di Matteo.

"We have brought him in as a striker but he can also play out wide, which gives me options."

Odemwingie scored 21 goals in 70 starts at Lokomotiv Moscow and has been linked in the past with moves to Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers.

Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to a Nigerian father and Russian mother in 1981, Odemwingie moved to Nigeria as a two-year-old.

After spending his early years in Nigeria, Odemwingie returned to the former Soviet Union to complete his secondary education and subsequently joined the youth football academy of CSKA Moscow.

He returned to Nigeria to begin his club career with Insurance in 2000, playing alongside former Wigan striker Julius Aghahowa, before moving to Belgium side La Louvière in 2002.

He then joined French side Lille in 2005 before Lokomotiv Moscow snapped him up in the summer of 2007.

West Brom have continued their summer rebuilding by completing the signing of midfielder Somen Tchoyi.

The versatile Cameroon international has joined from Red Bull Salzburg for an undisclosed fee after passing a medical at The Hawthorns.

The 27-year-old, who can play anywhere in midfield, has signed a two-year deal with the newly-promoted Baggies with the option of another year in the club's favour.

Tchoyi has been Austrian Player of the Year in each of his two seasons with Red Bull Salzburg, helping the club to two successive titles.
Drawn-out process

A work permit application was endorsed on appeal and he becomes Roberto Di Matteo's seventh summer signing, having captured Lokomotiv Moscow striker Peter Odemwingie earlier on Friday.

"It's been a drawn-out process due to circumstances out of the club's control but all the hard work has paid off and I'm delighted to welcome Somen to the club," Di Matteo told the club's official website.

"He is a powerful midfielder who will bring a physical presence to our team and also be a real threat at set-pieces.

"Somen has all the attributes to play in the Premier League but I think it's important we don't expect too much too soon from him as he will need a little time to adapt to English football."

Physical presence

Tchoyi, who will not be considered for Saturday's home game against Sunderland, had been on the Baggies' radar for some time.

The club's Sporting and Technical Director, Dan Ashworth, added: "At the end of last season, Robbie highlighted the need to add some physical presence to our midfield.

"Somen certainly fits the bill on that score and arrives with plenty of European and international experience."

Portsmouth have confirmed that West Brom have failed in their fresh attempt to sign captain Marc Wilson.

The Baggies were unsuccessful with a bid earlier this month, as first revealed by skysports.com, and have now missed out for a second time.

Pompey administrator Andrew Andronikou has confirmed West Brom's £3million offer plus add-ons has been refused.

Andronikou has not ruled out Wilson leaving before the transfer window closes, but insists manager Steve Cotterill is not looking to sell.

"West Brom offered us £3m plus add-ons but that has been turned down," Andronikou told the Portsmouth News.

"Steve Cotterill does not want to sell such an important player.

"At the moment, as a club he is not a player we have identified to sell.

"We will have to wait and see what happens."

West Brom have signed striker Marc-Antoine Fortune from Celtic on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

It is the 29-year-old's second spell at The Hawthorns after he spent five months there on loan at the end of the 2008-09 campaign.

The French Guiana-born forward moved to Parkhead last summer in a £3.8m deal from Nancy but managed only 12 goals.

He flew straight to the Midlands from Holland after playing in Celtic's 4-0 Europa League play-off loss at Utrecht.

Fortune has been registered in time to play in Sunday's clash at Liverpool, subject to international clearance.

West Brom manager Roberto di Matteo said he was delighted to welcome the frontman back to Albion, with the club holding a year's option to extend his initial contract.

Di Matteo told the club's website: "I'm delighted to welcome Marco back to the club.

"The great thing about this signing is that it won't take him long to settle in because he knows the club inside out. He also knows what this league is all about.

"Marco got on really well with the other players during his loan here and they're all delighted to see him back.

"He is a powerful striker who can hold the ball up and bring others into play and having also signed Peter Odemwingie last week, we now have plenty of competition up front."

Posted on: Sun 29 Aug 2010

ROBERTO Di Matteo has confirmed Albion are in talks with versatile midfielder Paul Scharner.

The Austria international is a free agent after running down his contract at Wigan at the end of last season.

And he today watched the Baggies' harsh 1-0 defeat at Liverpool from the Directors' Box at Anfield.

"We're talking to Paul and we'll see how that pans out in the next couple of days," said Di Matteo.

West Bromwich Albion have signed Austrian international Paul Scharner.

The 30-year-old, who was a free agent after leaving Wigan in the summer, has signed a two-year deal with the club.

"He's a proven Premier League player, having performed consistently for the past four-and-a-half years," said Baggies manager Roberto Di Matteo.

Scharner, who played in every outfield position for Wigan apart from left-back, joined the Latics from Norwegian side Brann in January 2006.

He made 155 appearances, scoring 17 goals before becoming West Brom's ninth permanent signing of the summer.

"At the start of the window, we looked at several players who were becoming free agents and had considerable experience in top-flight football either in England or abroad," said West Brom's sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth.

"I think we've had some real success in this area with the arrivals of Paul, Steven Reid and Pablo Ibanez."

Skysports.com understands West Bromwich Albion have agreed terms to sign Craig Dawson and will send the defender back to Rochdale on loan.

Dawson has established himself as one of the most promising centre-halves outside the Premier League and was a key figure in Dale's promotion to League One last season.

He had been a target for Middlesbrough earlier in the summer, but the Championship were unable to agree a fee with Dale.

West Brom have stepped in with a suitable offer for the 20-year-old and skysports.com revealed earlier on deadline day that Dawson was heading for talks with Roberto Di Matteo.

It is understood that Dawson has accepted a move to The Hawthorns, but will immediately be sent back to Rochdale.

Dawson will continue to build up his first-team experience with Keith Hill's side after making over 50 appearances during his career at Spotland to date.

West Brom have signed James Hurst on a two-year deal from Portsmouth.

The 19-year-old full-back left The Hawthorns in 2008 to move to the south coast, but never made an appearance for Portsmouth's first team.

Hurst has won 13 England caps at youth level and was part of the under-17 squad for the 2009 European Championships.

He joined Icelandic side IBV on loan at the end of last season, scoring one goal in 16 appearances.

West Brom are reportedly chasing the signature of out-of-favour Aston Villa striker John Carew.

Albion manager Roberto Di Matteo is looking to bolster his attacking resources following a recent goal drought, and Carew is on his radar.

The Norway international, who has been Villa's leading marksman for the past three seasons, has slipped down the pecking order under manager Gerard Houllier this term and has struggled to find form.

Carew, who is out of contract in the summer, was also involved in a public row with Houllier over being challenged to win a new deal, although both parties played down the spat.

Initial negotiations are understood to have taken place, although Albion have stressed Carew is just one of several potential targets.

The promoted Baggies were interested in taking Manchester United's Federico Macheda on loan, but the youngster has opted for a temporary move to Sampdoria.

Di Matteo's side have managed to find the net only three times in the past five games and currently sit in a precarious position, just one point clear of the drop zone.

Sheffield United have completed the loan signing of defender Joe Mattock from West Brom.

Mattock, 20, who can also play in midfield, will stay at Bramall Lane until the end of the season. He will go straight into Micky Adams' squad for Saturday's clash at Coventry.

Adams told the club's official website: "Joe's young and enthusiastic and certainly gives us competition for places.

"He had an injury at the start of the season which limited his opportunities for West Brom but he's naturally left-footed and having him here will help us climb the table."

Mattock made his debut for hometown club Leicester as a 16-year-old in 2007 and went on to make more than 50 appearances for the Foxes before joining West Brom for an undisclosed fee in August 2009.

West Bromwich Albion are leading the chase for Brazil international forward Ewerthon, skysports.com understands.

The 29-year-old is a free agent after he negotiated his release from Palmeiras earlier this month.

Ewerthon is no stranger to European football after spending much of his career plying his trade in Germany, Norway and Spain.

He is best known from his spells with Borussia Dortmund and Real Zaragoza, where he played more than 100 games for each club.

He returned to his homeland last year to spend a season with Palmeiras and he scored seven goals in 21 games but now he is ready to return back across the Atlantic.

And England looks likely to be his next destination, with a host of Premier League clubs chasing Ewerthon.

West Brom are believed to be leading the chase and are looking to tie up a deal for the player who has a Spanish passport and will not require a work permit.

Interest

However, Birmingham, Blackburn, Sunderland and West Ham are very much on the player's trail as well.

"A number of Premier League clubs are looking at him, and we are very hopeful a deal will be done soon," his British representative Barry McIntosh told skysports.com.

"During his time with Dortmund and Zaragoza, a host of Premier League clubs were very keen to get him, but at that time he could not get a work permit and he did not have European citizenship.

"Now that has changed and he is available on free transfer. He has many good options in England.

"The player also has offers to return to Germany and Spain, but he didn't want to finish his career having not played in England and sees now as the ideal time to fulfil that.

"He is keen to get the deal done, but there is not the urgency like some deals as he can sign outside the window."

West Brom have signed Arsenal's Mexico international striker Carlos Vela on loan for the rest of the season.

The 21-year-old joins a Baggies side in 16th place in the table, two points off the relegation zone and struggling for their Premier League survival.

West Brom boss Roberto di Matteo said: "He is a new attacking option for us and can play both centrally or wide.

"He also has great technical ability and pace. We hope he can make a big impact during the rest of the season."

Defender Billy Jones has agreed to join West Brom on a free transfer from Preston.

The 24-year-old becomes the Baggies' second signing of the summer following Gareth McAuley's switch from Ipswich and is expected to complete the formalities of the move over the newxt few days.

Jones told the Express & Star: "I'm obviously made up to be here. It started with meeting the gaffer (Roy Hodgson) and Dan Ashworth (Albion's sporting and technical director) and it went from there.

"The Premier League is a fresh challenge, I'm still young and I'm looking forward to hopefully cracking it.

"Playing in a better team is going to improve me so, hopefully, I can help the team out and prove myself in the league."

West Brom's hopes of re-signing Zoltan Gera from Fulham could be dashed after the arrival of Martin Jol as the Cottagers new manager, according to the players' agent.

Albion had been optimistic of bringing midfielder Gera, who is out of contract, back to the Hawthorns and had held initial talks with the player.

But Jol is also an admirer of the Hungarian international and tried to sign the 32-year-old from Ferencvaros when manager of Tottenham.

Gera's agent, Vladan Filipovioc, told Hungarian newspaper Nemzeti Sport: "Martin Jol knows and likes Gera's style.

"When he was manager of Tottenham, he wanted to sign Gera. He would probably like to work with him now.

"Until Gera signs his new contract, anything can happen. It could be that he even stays at Fulham."

Gera made 155 appearances for the Baggies before moving to Fulham during the summer of 2008 when Roy Hodgson - now Albion's head coach - was manager.

West Brom are stepping up their search to sign a new striker after losing out to Swansea in the race for Watford's Danny Graham who completed a £3.5 million move to Wales to on Tuesday.

Albion had previously had a £2.5 million bid rejected for the former Middlesbrough man.

Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira, Manchester United's Owen Hargreaves, West Ham defender Matthew Upson and Tottenham's Jonathan Woodgate are some of the bigger names to be released by their clubs this summer.

The Premier League has published its lists of retained players and those available on a free transfer this summer and it is no surprise to see the three relegated clubs - Birmingham, West Ham and Blackpool - offloading 32 players between them.

Age has finally caught up with Vieira, who is 35 next week, and he is joined on the exit list at Eastlands by Javier Garrido and former academy graduate Shaleum Logan.

Hargreaves' departure from United was fully expected as injury restricted him to just 11 minutes' football in the last two seasons

Woodgate suffered similar problems, making just four appearances in two years.

Birmingham have let a dozen players go, with the likes of Lee Bowyer, Sebastian Larsson, James McFadden, Kevin Phillips and Maik Taylor on their list of free transfers.

West Ham's England international Upson, Wales centre-back Danny Gabbidon, defender Lars Jacobsen and Jonathan Spector have all been put on the open market, while Blackpool midfielder David Vaughan's rejection of a new contract means he joins 11 others leaving Bloomfield Road.

Aston Villa have released John Carew, Robert Pires and Nigel Reo-Coker, while Blackburn have done similar with Jason Brown and Benjani Mwaruwari.

Bolton had already announced Johan Elmander, Ricardo Gardner and Jlloyd Samuel would be leaving.

Everton's third-choice goalkeeper Iain Turner has been released while Fulham have let go of Zoltan Gera, Diomansy Kamara and John Pantsil and Sol Campbell has left Newcastle.

Stoke have released Eidur Gudjohnsen and Ibrahima Sonko, with veteran Dutchman Bolo Zenden leaving Sunderland and Abdoulaye Meite West Brom.

Wolves midfielder Dave Jones, veteran defender Jody Craddock and goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann are all departing Molineux, while Wigan have released Steven Caldwell, Daniel de Ridder, Jason Koumas and veteran goalkeeper Mike Pollitt.


ARSENAL
Thomas Cruise, Roarie Deacon, Mark Randall.

ASTON VILLA
Durrell Berry, John Carew, Ellis Deeney, Calum Flanagan, Harry Forrester, Arsenio Halfhuid, Isaiah Osbourne, Robert Pires, Nigel Reo-Coker, Moustapha Salifou

BIRMINGHAM CITY
Marcus Bent, Lee Bowyer, Sebastian Larsson, James McFadden, Mitchell McPike, James O'Shea, Stuart Parnaby, Kevin Phillips, Daniel Preston, Luke Rowe, Robin Shroot, Maik Taylor.

BLACKBURN ROVERS
Jordan Bowen, Jason Brown, Zurab Khizanishvili, Benjani Mwaruwari, Michael Potts, Maceo Rigters.

BLACKPOOL
David Carney, Daniel Coid, Ishmel Demontagnac, Rob Edwards, Jason Euell, Marlon Harewood, Richard Kingson, Malaury Martin, Paul Rachubka, Andy Reid, Salaheddine Sbai.

BOLTON WANDERERS
Tamir Cohen, Johan Elmander, Ricardo Gardner, Joey O'Brien, Jlloyd Samuel, Samuel Sheridan.

CHELSEA
Samuel Hutchinson, Carl Magnay, Danny Philliskirk, Jan Sebek, Michael Woods.

EVERTON
Kieran Agard, Hope Akpan, Nathan Craig, Gerard Kinsella, Lee McArdle, Iain Turner.

FULHAM
Zoltan Gera, Edward Johnson, Diomansy Kamara, John Pantsil, Matthew Saunders.

LIVERPOOL
Jason Banton, Deale Chamberlain, Douglas Cooper, Sean Highdale, Steven Irwin, Nikola Saric.

MANCHESTER CITY
Javier Garrido, Scott Kay, James Poole, Shaleum Logan, Andrew Tutte, Javan Vidal, Patrick Vieira, James Wood.

MANCHESTER UNITED
Conor Devlin, Owen Hargreaves, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Edwin van der Sar.

NEWCASTLE UNITED
Sol Campbell, Shefki Kuqi, Patrick McLaughlin.

STOKE CITY
Abdoulaye Faye, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Ibrahima Sonko.

SUNDERLAND
Michael Kay, Nathan Luscombe, Daniel Madden, Robert Weir, Nathan Wilson, Mvoto Jean-Yves, Bolo Zenden.

TOTTENHAM
Jonathan Woodgate.

WEST BROM
Giles Barnes, Marcus Haber, Dean Kiely, Abdoulaye Méîté.

WEST HAM
Anthony Edgar, Holmar Eyjolfsson, Daniel Gabbidon, Lars Jacobsen, Filip Modelski, Jonathan Spector, Adam Street, Matthew Upson.

WIGAN ATHLETIC
Steven Caldwell, Daniel De Ridder, Joseph Holt, Jason Koumas, Thomas Lambert, Thomas Oakes, Francis Pollitt, Abian Serrano Davila.

WOLVES
Adriano Basso, Jody Craddock, John Dunleavy, Marcus Hahnemann, David Jones, Nathan Rooney.

West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Scott Carson looks set for a move to Turkish side Bursaspor.

A Baggies spokesman told BBC Sport that "talks are ongoing", while pictures of the 25-year-old having a medical have appeared on the Bursaspor website.

"The place is second to none, with as good a training ground that I've seen," Carson told Bursaspor TV.

"The biggest thing is the family atmosphere. I'm really excited, it looks like a brilliant club."

Bursaspor, who finished behind Manchester United and Rangers in Champions League Group C last season, will play in the Europa League next term after coming third in the Turkish top flight.

"I saw the games against Manchester United and Rangers and they were very good performances," added Carson.

"The Europa League is a tough competition but if Bursaspor competed in the Champions League last season then they have a chance of going all the way in the Europa League."

Carson has made 118 appearances since moving to The Hawthorns from Liverpool for £3.25m in July 2008.

He won the last of his three England caps in a friendly against Germany in November 2008.

West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Scott Carson has completed a move to Turkish side Bursaspor for an undisclosed fee.

The England international, 25, finalised personal terms on Friday after meeting with club officials earlier in the week.

Bursaspor will play in the Europa League next term after coming third in the Turkish top flight.

"The place is second to none," Carson told Bursaspor TV. "I'm really excited, it looks like a brilliant club."

Bursaspor finished behind Manchester United and Rangers in Champions League Group C last season.

"I saw the games against Manchester United and Rangers and they were very good performances," added Carson.

"The Europa League is a tough competition but if Bursaspor competed in the Champions League last season then they have a chance of going all the way in the Europa League."

Albion manager Roy Hodgson said: "In the three months I worked with Scott I cannot fault his professionalism and dedication.

"He has been a good servant to the club and I would like to wish him all the best for the future as he looks to broaden his experience by playing in a foreign country."

Carson made 118 appearances after moving to the Hawthorns from Liverpool for £3.25m in July 2008.

He won the last of his three England caps in a friendly against Germany in November 2008.

West Bromwich Albion have made a move to land Nigel Reo-Coker and are hopeful of sealing a deal, skysports.com can confirm.

The Baggies are understood to be making a big push for the 26-year-old midfielder, who is available on a free transfer after deciding to leave Aston Villa.

A host of clubs have been keeping tabs on him, with options both at home and abroad.

Paris St Germain are the latest European heavyweight to take a keen interest in Reo-Coker, whilst the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Valencia have all been looking at him.

In England, West Brom are now looking to head off interest from up to half-a-dozen Premier League rivals.

Baggies boss Roy Hodgson is looking for West Brom to push on next season and the signing of a player of Reo-Coker's calibre would be a clear sign of their intent.

West Bromwich Albion are the latest club to show interest in former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves following his release by Manchester United.

BBC Sport understands the Baggies have made contact with Hargreaves' representatives but any potential future deal is at a very early stage.

Leicester boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, who managed the 30-year-old with England, is also exploring a possible deal.

Hargreaves is without a club after the end of his Old Trafford career.

Hargreaves has attempted to prove his fitness by posting videos on YouTube to attract clubs after only playing 39 games during his four years at United following a £17m move from Bayern Munich.

Albion manager Roy Hodgson is an admirer of Hargreaves and is ready to explore the possibility of doing a deal depending on his fitness.

Any deal for Hargreaves, wherever he restarts his career, is likely to be on a pay-as-you-play basis but Albion have not got as far as discussing any possible structure for a transfer after registering their interest.

The Canadian-born midfielder won four German titles and a Champions League winners' medal at Bayern Munich and played in United's Champions League win against Chelsea in Moscow in 2008.

Baggies close on goalkeeper

West Brom assistant manager Michael Appleton has confirmed the club are close to signing a goalkeeper.

Speculation has linked Birmingham No.1 Ben Foster with a season-long loan switch to The Hawthorns and some reports have suggested that the deal could be imminent.

Appleton confirmed that Foster and West Ham shot-stopper Rob Green remain key targets for the Baggies and a goalkeeper should be one of two new arrivals to be confirmed "in the coming days or weeks".

"Hopefully they'll be one or two arrivals in the coming days or weeks but we've probably been hoping that for the last couple of weeks now," Appleton told Sportinglife.com after the 3-0 pre-season defeat at Rochdale.

"The longer it goes on it gets a little bit frustrating but hopefully we're at a stage where we're nearer rather than further away from getting one or two in.

"I'd like to think we're working hard to make that happen but ultimately there has to be agreement between the two clubs and if there isn't agreement between the two clubs we have to look elsewhere."

Sky Sports sources understand Boaz Myhill could head in the opposite direction in a potential deal that could take Ben Foster to West Brom.

As reported on Wednesday, it is thought Birmingham shot-stopper Foster is poised to seal a move to The Hawthorns following the Blues relegation from the top flight.

The Baggies are on the look-out for a keeper after allowing Scott Carson to leave for Turkish side Bursaspor.

Former Hull City ace Myhill, the current No.1 keeper at The Hawthorns, has previously spoken of his frustration that the club are continually linked with a move for a new goalkeeper.

But it appears he could head the other way, also in a loan move, should former Manchester United stopper Foster joins Roy Hodgson's side.

Sky Sports News sources understand that West Brom are closing on signing Liam Ridgewell on a three-year deal.

As reported last month, the Baggies and Fulham were thought to be chasing Birmingham's versatile defender.

Following their relegation to the Championship, the Blues would be willing to let Ridgewell - who is under contract until 2013 - leave at the right price.

The 27-year-old has made 138 league appearances for Birmingham since his £2million switch from Aston Villa in 2007.

If he does join Roy Hodgson's side, Ridgewell could be the second Birmingham player to switch to The Hawthorns with the Baggies also close to landing highly rated keeper Ben Foster.

Ben Foster joins West Bromwich Albion on loan

West Bromwich Albion have signed Birmingham goalkeeper Ben Foster on a season-long loan, while Boaz Myhill has moved in the opposite direction.

Foster, 28, arrives at The Hawthorns following Scott Carson's move to Turkish side Bursaspor.

"We are very, very happy that the deal to bring Ben from Birmingham has gone through," said Albion boss Roy Hodgson.

Myhill, 28, joined West Brom from Blackpool in July 2010 and played 11 games for the Baggies last season.

Foster joined Birmingham from Manchester United for £6m last summer and helped Blues win the Carling Cup - but was unable to stop them being relegated from the Premier League.

He could make his Baggies debut in Saturday's pre-season clash at Bristol City.

Hodgson added: "He was always the goalkeeper that we targeted as our number one choice for the season and we are hoping he will be as successful here as he has been with his previous clubs.

"We are confident Ben is the goalkeeper we need to help us enjoy a successful season in the Premier League."

Foster started all 38 of Birmingham's Premier League games last season and was named man of the match as he helped City clinch their first major trophy in 48 years by beating Arsenal 2-1 at Wembley.

He has five England caps but in May said he was putting his international ambitions on hold in a bid to prolong his club career.

West Bromwich Albion have finalised a deal to bring former midfielder Zoltan Gera back to The Hawthorns after he left Premier League rivals Fulham.

Gera scored 25 goals in 155 appearances during four years with the Baggies before moving to Fulham on a free transfer in 2008.

He has opted against renewing his contract at Craven Cottage in favour of a return to West Brom, who are now managed by his former Fulham boss Roy Hodgson.

The Hungarian has signed a two-year contract, with the option of a further 12 months in the Baggies' favour, and Hodgson is delighted to capture the 32-year-old.

"Having decided not to renew his contract at Fulham, Zoltan has come back to the club where he started his career in England," Hodgson told the club's official website.

"The last time he played at West Bromwich Albion he was a very popular figure with everyone at the club, not least of all the fans.

"I of course know him well and admired him in the two years we worked together at Fulham, where he was an integral part of the team that did well during those years.

"I think it is a massive coup for the club that we have been able to persuade him to come back to West Brom despite the many other offers he had, because he is a player that is widely appreciated in the Premier League and abroad.

"I think it is an excellent signing and he is a player I hope will do as well in the coming seasons as he has done in the past seasons with West Brom and Fulham.

"In Zoltan Gera we've acquired not only a first-class player but a first-class person and we think that's also important to the way we want the club to move forward."

Gera had been lined up for a return to West Brom for several weeks and he has now passed a medical following a recent ankle injury.

His recovery is going according to plan, however, Hodgson is unlikely to have his latest signing available for selection until mid-September.

Goalkeeper Marton Fulop has signed a one-year deal to move from Ipswich to West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer.

Fulop, 28, will provide competition to new loan signing Ben Foster, who joined the club from Birmingham last week.

That deal saw Boaz Myhill move on loan in the opposite direction leaving West Brom short of goalkeeping depth.

Manager Roy Hodgson said: "I'm delighted that we've signed a player of Marton's quality and experience."

Fulop, a Hungary international, came to England in 2004 when he joined Tottenham. After loan spells at Chesterfield and Coventry he moved to Sunderland in 2007.

Further loan spells followed at Leicester, Stoke and Manchester City as emergency cover for Shay Given at the end of the 2009/10 season.

Last August Fulop signed for Ipswich and made 38 appearances for the East Anglian side.

West Brom's number one from last season Scott Carson signed for Turkish side Bursapor earlier in the summer.

Albion close in on Long capture

West Brom are poised to smash their transfer record to sign Reading striker Shane Long having reportedly had a bid accepted by the Royals.

The Baggies have held talks with Long's advisors over the weekend and are believed to have agreed a fee of between £6million and £7m.

It would surpass the £4.7m Albion paid Real Mallorca for Spanish midfielder Borja Valero three years ago.

West Brom's desire for a new striker is even more pressing as last season's leading scorer, Peter Odemwingie, is battling to overcome an ankle problem.

Albion head coach Roy Hodgson is hoping to sign Long in time for Sunday's Premier League opener with Manchester United at the Hawthorns.

It will be the first monetary outlay of the summer by West Brom after Gareth McAuley, Zoltan Gera and Billy Jones arrived on Bosman free transfers and Ben Foster joined on loan from Birmingham.

Hodgson, who has also signed Martin Fulop from Ipswich, has been pursuing Long all summer after the 24-year-old scored 25 goals last season for Reading.

Championship side West Ham last month failed with a bid thought to total around £7million with add-ons but the Royals are believed to have told Long he can join a top-flight side if the price is right.

Long has also been linked with Celtic, Everton and Newcastle.

West Brom have finally signed Reading striker Shane Long for an undisclosed fee, the club have confirmed.

Long has put pen to paper on an initial three-year contract with the option for a further 12 months.

He becomes Baggies head coach Roy Hodgson's sixth signing of the summer with the fee understood to be an initial £4.5million, rising to a possible £6.5 million with add-ons.

Long is currently on international duty with the Republic of Ireland, preparing for Wednesday's clash with Croatia in Dublin.

But he will be in contention to make his West Brom debut in Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester United at the Hawthorns.

Albion announced the deal after the results of Long's medical proved positive. He becomes their sixth signing of the close season but the first for whom they have paid a transfer fee.

Billy Jones, Gareth McAuley, Zoltan Gera and Marton Fulop were Bosman transfers while Ben Foster signed on a season-long loan from Birmingham.

Long has been Baggies head coach Roy Hodgson's number one striker target throughout the summer to provide support for last season's top scorer, Peter Odemwingie.

He scored 25 goals for the Royals last season and was linked with a move to West Ham.

Reading also confirmed Long's move in a statement with chairman Sir John Madejski saying: "Shane has been a conscientious and loyal servant for Reading.

"Water will always find its own level, and nobody can deny a talented young player the opportunity to play at the highest level when they have the ability to do so.

"Had we won (the play-off final) at Wembley, I have no doubt that Shane would still be playing for Reading, but we wish him great luck at West Brom."

Reading manager Brian McDermott said: "West Bromwich Albion and Roy Hodgson are very lucky to get Shane and I'm sure their fans will see what a great talent he is and how hard he'll work for the team."

West Brom boss Roy Hodgson has confirmed a move for free agent Owen Hargreaves is edging closer.

Hargreaves is available on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United earlier this summer following an injury-plagued stay at Old Trafford.

The Baggies are ready to offer Hargreaves another crack at the Premier League and Hodgson revealed the club's sporting director, Dan Ashworth, has been in further discussions with the former England international about a move to the Hawthorns.

"Dan [Ashworth] has had further talks with him and the talks have been relatively positive," said Hodgson.

"We believe he's capable of playing top-flight football again and we're very interested in him."

Medical

Asked whether Hargreaves has had a medical, Hodgson replied: "A minor one, yes. If he was to join us of course he'd have a proper medical with all the scans. We haven't done that.

"He came to visit with Alex McKechnie, the man who's been largely credited with supervising his revival and our expert here, Mark Gillett [the club doctor], looked at him and agreed.

"If the day ever came when he was even close to signing a contract, he'd have to go through a more rigorous medical, but I quite firmly believe that he would just as easily pass that.

"Alex and Owen were keen to show the doctor that the knee was fine."

Spanish defender Pablo Ibanez has left West Brom to join Birmingham for an undisclosed fee.

The 30-year-old former Atletico Madrid player has signed a two-year deal with the npower Championship club.

Ibanez joined the Baggies in 2010 and played 14 times last season, scoring twice.

West Bromwich Albion defender Marek Cech has left joined Turkish side Trabzonspor for an undisclosed fee.

The 28-year-old Slovakian international flew to Turkey to compete his move, ending his three-year spell at The Hawthorns.

Cech was given permission to leave Slovakia's training camp ahead of their 2012 European Championship qualifier against the Republic of Ireland.

He made 68 appearances for the Baggies after joining from Porto in 2008.

The left-back lost his regular starting place to Nicky Shorey at the end of last season and has made just one Carling Cup appearance this season.

Cech is the second West Brom player to leave for Turkey following Scott Carson's move to Bursapsor.

Trabzonspor will be competing in the Champions League this season following Fenerbahce's withdrawal.

West Brom have completed the signing of youngster Scott Allan from Dundee United for an undisclosed fee.

The 20-year-old midfielder was identified by Roy Hodgson as somebody who could improve the Baggies' squad and he passed a medical at The Hawthorns on Friday.

He has now sealed his move to West Brom to become their first new recruit of the January window.

Hodgson will be delighted to have won the chase for Allan after he also attracted interest from Old Firm duo Celtic and Rangers.

Allan's contract at Tannadice had been set to expire in the summer and he turned down the offer of a new deal.

United confirmed he had joined West Brom, with manager Peter Houston telling his club's official website: "I'd like to wish Scott all the best for his future career, it is a fantastic opportunity for him to go down to the English Premier League.

"The completion of the deal at this time was beneficial for both the player and the club."

West Bromwich Albion have joined the queue of clubs chasing Middlesbrough star Rhys Williams, Sky Sports can confirm.

However, it is understood neither Williams or Middlesbrough have any plans to see a transfer materialise in January.

Williams has 18 months left on his current deal and talks over a new contract have failed to find an agreement.

A host of clubs, including the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle and Bolton, have been linked with Australian star Williams in recent weeks and now West Brom are believed to be keeping close tabs on his situation.

But with Boro firmly embroiled in a promotion bid, Williams is believed to be more than happy to remain at The Riverside until the summer at least.

Boro are also now in a position where they do not need to cash in on their prized assets and would fend off any bid for Williams.

It is believed West Brom would have considered an exchange deal after Boro showed an interest in their striker Simon Cox.

However, should Boro pursue Cox, it appears unlikely Williams would be heading in the opposite direction.

Baggies move for Bajrami

Sky Sports sources understand West Brom have made an enquiry for FC Twente's Swedish winger Emir Bajrami.

The 23-year-old has become a key player for the Dutch side this season, notching up 21 appearances and scoring four goals.

He has established himself as a first-team regular in Enschede after struggling in his debut season, taking a back seat to Bryan Ruiz, now at Fulham.

The Sweden international arrived at De Grolsch Veste from native club Elfsborg in 2010.

Baggies boss Roy Hodgson is targeting the winger as he looks to bolster his attacking options, with Albion currently 15th in the Premier League.

He will have to prise the Swede away from Twente boss Steve McClaren, who has started him in his first two Eredivisie matches in charge.

Hodgson's interest in Bajrami comes after he confirmed he will not be signing Zenit St Petersburg winger Szabolcs Huszti this month due to concerns over his fitness.

West Bromwich Albion have agreed a fee with Birmingham City for defender Liam Ridgewell.

Baggies boss Roy Hodgson had been prepared to "move on" after Albion had an initial bid rejected.

But their latest offer for the former Aston Villa man has been accepted and the 27-year-old is finalising the personal terms of the deal.

Ridgewell made it clear last summer he wanted to leave Birmingham after handing in a transfer request.

He helped Blues win the Carling Cup but was keen to remain in the Premier League following City's relegation last May.

Ridgewell, who can play at left-back or centre-back, joined Birmingham from Villa for £2m almost five years ago.

Yassine El Ghanassy joins West Brom from Gent on loan

West Bromwich Albion have signed Belgium international winger Yassine El Ghanassy on a season-long loan deal from Pro League side Gent.

The Baggies have the option to make the transfer permanent for the 22-year-old, who has passed a medical but is waiting for international clearance.

"He is an exciting prospect who will add something different to our squad," said head coach Steve Clarke.

"We believe he has got the raw talent to make an impact here."

The Baggies boss added: "This is a big move for Yassine. We'll have to be patient with him as he settles into a new country and gets to grips with the demands of the Premier League."

El Ghanassy, Clarke's second signing since taking over last month following the arrival of keeper Ben Foster, has won two caps for Belgium.

Since joining Gent from La Louviere in 2008, he has played in the Champions League and Europa League and made 37 Pro League appearances last season, scoring seven goals.

Gent finished third last season, but El Ghanassy helped them to the league and cup double in 2010.

"Yassine is a player we have watched develop for a couple of years," said Albion sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth.

"He has shown in Belgium his ability to put defenders on the back foot and create and score goals and he is on the fringes of the national team.

"He is an exciting, young player who we hope will grow into the league and prove a real asset.

"He offers us a different option and is the type of player I am sure our supporters will warm to and get right behind."

Albion are also being strongly linked with Rennes midfielder Tongo Doumbia, who is also reportedly a target for neighbours Aston Villa, as well as Arsenal.

Sky Sports understands Al-Gharrafa have made a bid for West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie.

The cash-rich Qatar-based outfit are readying a lucrative deal as they bid to tempt the player away from The Hawthorns.

While content in the Midlands, it is thought Odemwingie is open to the idea of a possible move to the Middle East.

West Brom are considering the offer on the table but are understood to want to line-up a replacement before sanctioning any departures.

At the start of the month new Baggies boss Steve Clarke spoke of his desire to keep Odemwingie at the club.

However, the Nigeria international has previously made no secret of his ambition to play for a club ready to compete for silverware - with Al-Gharrafa the first over the summer to make a serious bid for his services.

Claudio Yacob becomes third West Bromwich Albion sigining

Argentina international midfielder Claudio Yacob has joined West Brom on a three-year deal, subject to international clearance.

The 25-year-old was a free agent after leaving Racing Club following a six-year spell.

He joined the Baggies for pre-season training in Malmo and has done enough to impress head coach Steve Clarke.

"He is an Argentina international with a real desire to prove himself in the Premier League," said Clarke.

Speaking to the club's website he added: "It's great to have him on board.

"Claudio's got different qualities to the other midfielders we've got at the club and he should complement the squad very well.

"It will take him a little bit of time to adjust to the demands of the English game and he's also got to learn our language, but we hope to have him up and running for the start of the season."

Yacob is Albion's third summer recruit, following the signings of England international Ben Foster and season-long loan Yassine El Ghanassy.

He has won three caps for Argentina since making his debut last year and has scored one goal for his country.

Markus Rosenberg joins West Bromwich Albion

West Brom have signed Sweden international striker Markus Rosenberg on a three-year deal after his exit from Werder Bremen.

The 29-year-old is Albion's fourth summer signing, following keeper Ben Foster, midfielder Claudio Yacob and winger Yassine El Ghanassy .

Rosenberg started his career at hometown club Malmo and spent two years with Ajax between 2005 and 2007.

He has also played in Spain, with Racing Santander in 2010-11.

Baggies boss Steve Clarke told the club website: "I'm delighted to welcome Markus to the club.

"He is an experienced striker who has scored goals in three of Europe's top leagues, as well as in the top European competitions, and is determined to prove himself in the Premier League.

"Markus will really increase competition for places in the forward areas and hopefully spur on the strikers we already have here.

"He had several other offers this summer but he made it clear that joining West Bromwich Albion was his first choice and we're really pleased we've been able to conclude a deal."