Everyone else has a thread like this so we should get one started. I have been scanning the various Web sites for rumours and speculation, and have seen very little. I have a feeling that there may be one or two players leaving the Hawthorns as we bring other players in. As far as who specifically may be leaving, I think we should be able to fend off any offers for Davies and Koumas. (Koumas - himself a want-away player during the Robson era - said we should be rushing into selling off our star talent.) Personally, I think one of our strikers may be on his way out. If we bring in another keeper Zuberbuhler might be going back to the Continent (if someone will have him.)
It has been known for the last few months that Wigan are hoping to bring Nathan Ellington back to the JJB Stadium. Now comes the revelation that Paul Jewell and the Latics are formally in talks with Albion to do just that. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/6226161.stm Ellington hasn't been as prolific a scorer this season as we had hoped, but his showing against PNE recently showed what he might be capable of. However, I did say above that one of our strikers may be on the way out, and he's probably a likely candidate.
West Brom sign Slovenian midfielder http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/6231543.stm
These are what i've heard so far in the local press. Quashie and Hartson to West Ham, Ellington to Wigan (clubs in talks), Gera to a host of clubs and we are looking at Billy Sharp at Scunthorpe and Will Hoskins at Rotheram but he has today joined Watford.
The hot news is that we have pretty much done a deal with Luton to sign Rowan Vine and Leon Barnett for a combined fee of £3 million once the Ellington transfer to Wigan has been sorted. Barnett is the type of player we need, he's a strong ballwinner who can play in the middle or centre-half and he's young too. As is Vine who's having a great season up front. From what i've seen of him he's quick and finishes well.
Quashie off to Hammers Most major sources have reported that Nigel Quashie left Albion to go to West Ham, a team stuck in the relegation zone. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/6243151.stm We earned £1.5 million in the deal which could rise by another quarter-million pounds should the Hammers avoid the drop (or are relegated, then promoted while he's still on their books).
My mate just txt me to tell me that he just saw somethin on BBC News 24 about the Albion putting in a £4 million bid for the Hibs pair of Scott Brown and Kevin Thomson (midfielders). Rangers and Celtic are also interested. I had heard that we were gonna go for this pair on Sunday as it was in a local paper.
I thought I has seen reports of Mowbray rubbishing those rumours, but that might have been earlier. Ellington really wants to go now, apparently. I wonder how close we are to letting Wigan have him back? (And will he regret it if the Latics come back down to the Championship?)
Gera to Boro for cash and Jones? According to numerous sources, it's looking like Zoltan Gera will be heading to Middlesbrough in a deal for cash and a player swap of Boro keeper Brad Jones. http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1785_1835980,00.html I wouldn't have seen this deal happening at the start of the season. Things can change quite a bit in a short amount of time, however. Gera was one of the keys in our fight-back against Luton on Friday, but otherwise he's shown very little of the fantastic play he displayed in our previous two seasons in the Premiership.
Toon in for Davies? It's been reported that Newcastle are bidding for the services of Curtis Davies. I was wondering when the first serious interest in him would appear during this transfer window. http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx...id=35&lid=&title=Toon+confirm+Davies+interest The price would have to be right... and we would have to have to be pursuing a decent enough defender to replace him. You might understand if I am a bit skeptical of their reported offer of Titus Bramble plus cash for Curtis. As far as I'm concerned, Davies is still on our books for the next few seasons with no get-out clauses. If we fail to get promoted, we can entertain a bidding war for him in the close season.
Quite possibly in anticipation of Nathan Ellington's return to Wigan, we have brought Dutch striker Sherjill MacDonald on loan from AGOVV Apeldoorn until the rest of the season. We may make the deal permanent if he impresses for us. http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=444286&CPID=10&clid=35&lid=&title=Baggies+land+Dutch+talent
Thanks Dave, that news has completely bypassed me. I knew we were looking at him a couple of weeks ago but hadnt heard anything since then. It's not something to lift our spirits but at least it's something and if he's quick he's very welcome.
West brom release Russell Hoult http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/6318481.stm
A brief summary of what transpired during the window: IN: Robert Koren from Lillestrom Sherjill MacDonald on loan from AGOVV Apeldoorn Dean Kiely on loan from Pompey OUT: Nigel Quashie to West Ham Russell Hoult to Stoke Luke Steele, Stuart Nicholson, Rob Elvins out on loan More loans (Hartson) in the near future? I hope I'm not missing anybody. I'm not certain we addressed all of our needs sufficiently, but time will tell; we still have to see more of the new boys. While we lost Quashie and Hoult, we were able to keep players like Davies, Gera and Kamara who are highly sought-after b other clubs. Whether we will be able to retain their services after this season - promotion or not - remains to be seen. We still supposedly have the deepest squad in the Championship, but the next three months will determine if they are worthy of better things.
Zuberbuhler back to Switzerland Apaprently Albion have cancelled the contract of Pascal Zuberbuhler so that he can sign for the club Neuchatel Xamax, in the French-speaking northwestern part of Switzerland. It's not on the WBA site but it appears on theirs... http://www.xamax.ch/ Now Albion have sent both of the first-team keepers we had at the start of the season off to other clubs. Here's hoping Kiely will stay injury-free for the rest of the campaign, as Luke Steele cannot be recalled from loan. If we get promoted, I wonder if there's a chance we could get Kuszczak back from Man U, as he seems to have fallen out of favour with some of their fans. Alternatively, I (as a very biased Yank) would also like to see if Tim Howard signs on permanently with Everton after his loan there or returns to United.