Mbaye Diagne is free to leave Galatasaray for around £5 million with the West Bromwich Albion target holding out for a move to the Premier League, according to Haber7.
Baggies boss Sam Allardyce told talkSPORT (19 January, 11:00am) that only short-term loan deals are on the agenda this month with funds at a premium.
And with other January targets such as Haris Seferovic, William Carvalho and Jean-Philippe Mateta seemingly out of their reach, Diagne looks like a far more affordable option.
According to reports in Turkey, the 29-year-old Senegal international has been told by Galatasaray that he will be allowed to leave the Istanbul-based giants for a fee in the region of £5 million.
What’s more, Diagne is keen to prove himself on English shores, having turned down the opportunity to return to China three years after a prolific spell at Tianjin TEDA.
Whether West Brom can afford to pay £5 million up front for the much-travelled journeyman remains to be seen.
The Premier League strugglers will attempt to strike a loan-to-buy deal, with an option to make Diagne’s move permanent if Allardyce pulls off an act of escapology David Blaine himself would be proud of.
Diagne has scored an impressive 58 goals in 84 games since the start of the 2017/18 season and, if he can adapt to life in England, would give West Brom the sort of physical presence they have been lacking all season in the number nine role.
The Express claimed on Tuesday that West Brom are closing in on Diagne, with Galatasaray identifying Egypt international Mohamed Mostafa as his replacement.
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