West Bromwich Albion have enquired about Raul de Tomas but Espanyol want £25 million for their record signing, according to AS.
It is not just at the back where the Baggies are struggling.
Slaven Bilic’s side drew a blank in their 2-0 defeat to Southampton on Sunday and, with just a few hours remaining until the window slams shut, the West Brom boss is desperate to bring in a clinical goal-scorer before it is too late.
According to reports in Spain, the newly-promoted club have identified a one-time Real Madrid youngster as the man capable of firing them out of the relegation zone.
The 2019/20 campaign might have been one to forget for De Tomas, who flopped at Benfica before dropping out of La Liga with Espanyol.
But an old-school battering ram of a number nine was one of the most feared forwards in Spain’s top tier as recently as 2018/19, scoring 14 times for a limited Real Valladolid outfit.
If he could repeat the trick at The Hawthorns, the Baggies will not be bouncing back into the Championship any time soon.
AS reports that Espanyol want £25 million for a man who became their record signing in January. De Tomas, better known as ‘RDT’, also takes home £100,000-a-week in Catalonia.
It remains to be seen whether West Brom have the funds, or the desire, to make a man totally unproven in English football the most expensive signing in their history on deadline day.
But, while De Tomas would be hugely expensive, Premier League survival is priceless.
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