West Bromwich Albion had deals in place for strikers at Southampton and West Ham United and failed with three club-record bids, it has been revealed.
West Bromwich Albion had deals in place for Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez and West Ham United’s Diafra Sakho, minutes from a recent assembly meeting, which have been published on the club’s official website, show.
Baggies directors Richard Garlick and Nick Hammond were both present at the meeting, in which they fielded questions from supporters.
And the club’s summer transfer business was an obvious hot topic, given the comments made by chairman John Williams last week, which were later contradicted by manager Tony Pulis.
Williams, a recent arrival at the Hawthorns, claimed that Pulis had landed his five preferred targets – Nacer Chadli, Brendan Galloway, Matt Phillips, Allan Nyom and Hal Robson-Kanu – during the summer transfer window.
Pulis, however, insisted this was not the case, explaining that a number of higher-profile targets had evaded him. And the Welshman’s claims now appear to have been substantiated.
“(Hammond) said the club were in position to secure a loan deal for Jay Rodriguez until he scored [against Sunderland] for Southampton who simply refused to let him leave after that,” read the minutes on the club’s official website.
Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez
“Hammond stressed that Albion offered a club-record deal for a European striker in July, and then a second bid shortly after but his club were reluctant to sell and only eventually did so for a huge sum.
“Another club-record deal was in place for Diafra Sakho which never materialised for reasons well-publicised [a medical issue], while another club-record deal for a midfielder had also failed.
West Ham’s Diafra Sakho
“Hammond added Albion had not been frustrated by a lack of ambition but that the market had gone to an ‘incredible place.'”
Another reported target, Malaga midfielder Ignacio Camacho, was also discussed at the meeting.
“Hammond stated that he (Camacho) was a player Tony Pulis knew well, a historic target for Albion who had been the subject of detailed reports,” the minutes state.
Malaga’s Ignacio Camacho
“A deal was in place but it didn’t progress because Pulis ultimately took the view that the player was not going to provide what he wanted for the team.”
In the end, all three players, Rodriguez, Sakho and Camacho, remained with their current employers beyond the close of the summer transfer window.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
