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West Bromwich Albion missed out on a January deal for Real Betis midfielder William Carvalho because they refused to include an option-to-buy clause in his contract, as reported by La Razon.

You can see why the Baggies would make such a decision.

After all, it looks like West Brom will be bouncing their way back into the Championship next season and, with relegation starting to look like a probability rather than a possibility, the Midland-based outfit were keen to avoid any sizeable financial commitments.

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According to La Razon, West Brom wanted to sign Portugal international Carvalho on what is often referred to across the Channel as a ‘dry loan’; essentially, a short-term deal with no purchase clause included.

Real Betis, however, were unwilling to accept such an arrangement.

They would only let Carvalho join a club who were interested in buying the European champion out-right during the summer window.

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According to Mundo Deportivo, the former Sporting Lisbon enforcer is valued at £18 million and earns £40,000-a-week at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.

Simply put, that is far too much for a club who may soon be cutting costs and preparing for life back in the second tier.

This perhaps explains why West Brom turned their attention to another La Liga scrapper – the Celta Vigo-owned Turkey ace Okay Yokuslu.

According to Fabrizio Romano, there is no option or obligation-to-buy clause in Yokuslu’s contract. This means, if or when West Brom are relegated, Sam Allardyce’s side will be under no pressure to pay out for the 26-year-old.

Which is handy, given that Yokuslu has not exactly made an impression at The Hawthorns.

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