West Brom may face sprint finish to complete last-gasp Chaka Traore transfer
As the final 24 hours of the January transfer window loom over West Brom, the Baggies are still pushing to complete one or two final pieces of business this month.
The message from inside The Hawthorns has remained the same from the start. Carlos Corberan has been keen to add two attacking options to his squad ahead of the second half of the Championship campaign.
One such addition has been made in the form of Andi Weimann, with the Austrian international arriving on a temporary basis from Championship rivals Bristol City, with a view to a potential permanent switch come the end of the season.
However, a second move hangs in the balance, with West Brom remaining in the race for AC Milan forward Chaka Traore. But with the deadline drawing closer, no decision has been made on the teenager’s future.
Reports have suggested that Albion lead Swiss side Lausanne in the hunt for his signature, with both sides facing a race against the deadline to complete the 19-year-old’s signing before Thursday (1 February) night’s deadline [Gazzetta dello Sport, 30 January].
However, reports emerged from Gianluca Di Marzio on Tuesday (30 January) that the Milan forward would make a final decision on his future on Wednesday (31 January) morning. However, no such decision has been reported or made public well into the afternoon.
While the radio silence from the San Siro doesn’t mean that this deal has collapsed or won’t be happening this month, West Brom supporters may be more than slightly concerned that they haven’t heard any fresh updates on Traore’s arrival.
Albion will ultimately need to know the teenager’s decision sooner rather than later, otherwise, they could potentially miss out on alternative targets should Traore decide against a move to The Hawthorns at the eleventh hour.
Hopefully, the Milan gem’s choice will become clear in the coming hours. That way West Brom will then be able to decide whether it is worth pursuing the deal, or if it is time to start pursuing other targets.
In other West Brom news, Mel Eves has blasted one “stupid” Wolves fan for his recent action at The Hawthorns
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