Madeley details reason for Musa no-show as West Brom look for late swoop
Ahmed Musa will be finally be assessed by West Brom after Sam Allardyce revealed Covid protocols were stopping the free agent from his Albion trial.
The Nigeria striker has been without a club since leaving Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr in October but has been lined up for assessment by Big Sam with his strugglers failing in front of goal this season and in desperate need of firepower.
Allardyce had said earlier in the week that the player hadn’t arrived as scheduled.
Musa had an unhappy spell at Leicester City during the 2016/17 campaign, scoring just twice in 21 appearances but he has 95 caps for his country and has scored at the last two World Cups so he does come with some pedigree.
As reported by The Athletic’s Steve Madeley on Twitter, Allardyce has confirmed that the 28-year-old is due to be assessed by the club with a view to his signature after covid protocols had prevented the forward from attending his trial.
Given his free agency status a deal is not a matter of urgency ahead of Monday’s midnight deadline as he will be able to sign after this cut-off point.
Musa will now be handed the chance to impress the coaching staff in training ahead of a monumental second half of the season for the Baggies who are now nine points off Brighton who occupy the final survival spot.
Last gasp bid to boost squad
It all adds to what looks like a thrilling end to the transfer window for Albion supporters.
It was a slow start with just Robert Snodgrass and reserve goalkeeper Andy Lonergan brought into the club but after Mbaye Diagne signed and debuted on the weekend it appears Albion are going into overdrive in their bid to remain in the Premier League.
Okay Yokuslu is expected to join the club on loan while similar arrangements are also being made for Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
These loan deals all represent low-risk signings as they do not tie Albion into compulsory permanent transfers and mean they can assess them for six months before deciding to land them on a more regular basis.
It also gives both club and player the chance to see what division they will end up playing in next season.
It remains to be seen whether Big Sam will make a move for Musa but at least now he will be able to get a proper look at him up close and decide whether is is worth a shot.
Musa offers pace in abundance which is not a characteristic that can be levelled at many Albion players so he could offer something different to an attack which now looks to have a proper centre-forward in Diagne as a robust presence.
In other West Brom news, our view on the deal Albion should be chasing after major development.
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