Premier League obstacle emerges in West Brom deals for Alex Palmer and Cameron Archer

West Bromwich Albion may have to take some massive strides to sign Alex Palmer and Southampton striker Cameron Archer.

The Baggies have been linked with moves for the Ipswich Town goalkeeper and the 24-year-old attacker this transfer window.

James Morrison clearly needs more quality in his squad ahead of next season and both would need a significant financial commitment.

While Palmer and Archer are wanted at The Hawthorns, it remains to be seen whether Bilkul Football have the necessary means to get them.

The Black Country outfit haven't spent much so far this summer after being docked points last season for breaching financial rules.

With Shilen Patel seemingly trying to work on a tight budget, fans in B71 may be in for a bitter reality check.

West Brom transfer reality in Alex Palmer and Cameron Archer pursuit

Archer has been heavily linked with West Brom for some time now, but the noise around his potential arrival has died down.

Palmer is someone who struggled for game time at Ipswich last season, and his prospects look bleak after their promotion to the Premier League.

On paper, both players should be realistic targets for the Baggies considering their situations at their current clubs.

However, Steve Tudgay, founder of Full Throstle, believes the Albion can't compete financially with other clubs to sign the pair.

It may be hard for the Black Country outfit to get a deal over the line for any player on Premier League wages.

Speaking on The Liquidator on 6 August, Tudgay said, "I think there's a hope that we could get Palmer in from Ipswich. But it looks increasingly to me like we're not going to be able to compete with any player on Premier League wages. Archer or Palmer."

What realistic expectation should be at The Hawthorns next season

Gone are the days when West Brom considered themselves immediate contenders for Premier League promotion or the play-offs spots.

While Bilkul brought some stability back to The Hawthorns after taking over from Guochuan Lai, there's now once again a sense of uncertainty among the fanbase.

Looking at the squad the Baggies have assembled so far for next season, a top-half finish in the Championship would be impressive.

The Albion were in a relegation battle last season and they haven't done much to improve the quality of their squad since.

If anything, Morrison arguably now has a weaker team to work with and the prospects in B71 don't look encouraging.