Carlos Corberan has detailed the four criteria that any incoming West Bromwich Albion signing this summer must meet, as he backed the club’s director of football operations Ian Pearce to meet his demands in the recruitment drive.
Albion are yet to spring into life in the summer transfer market, and there has been a transparency from within the club that recruitment will have to be handled prudently, with more sales following the £7m departure of Dara O’Shea expected as the Baggies look to put a dent in the repayment of the £20m loan borrowed from MSD Holdings last year.
Still, Corberan, Pearce and his team will require additions in the coming weeks as pre-season commences; Albion have a single fit centre forward heading into the new campaign, while the full-back areas – where there are only two natural, senior options available currently to Corberan – are also expected to be scrutinised.
Albion supporters have witnessed a number of other Championship rivals strike quickly in the free agent market already. Norwich, for example, have swiftly added coveted pair Ashley Barnes and Jack Stacey, while Coventry City have snapped up Jay Dasilva. Albion were quick off the mark in the same market 12 months ago when snaring John Swift, Jed Wallace and Okay Yokuslu, but patience is required this time around.
The loan market, too, is certain to be utilised after the club decided against recruiting from that particular pool during Steve Bruce’s shopping spree last year, with only Marc Albrighton in the winter borrowed from elsewhere. What is abundantly clear, though, is that Corberan – who cares little for the available transfer kitty – desires only a specific personality in a new recruit, something which applies to the existing personnel too.
“We have created four criteria for new signings. For me, it’s very important that every player we bring in meets the criteria,” Corberan explained, in an interview with the club’s in-house channel.