West Bromwich Albion’s hopes of signing M’baye Niang from Rennes have hit a buffer with talks between the two parties stalling, according to the Telegraph.
After hitting a career-best 15 goals last season, and firing the Brittany-based club into the Champions League for the first time in their entire history, you have to wonder why this Senegal international would swap European football for a relegation battle across the Channel.
West Brom have picked up just one point from their three games back in the big time.
In fact, no promoted team in Premier League history has ever conceded more goals at this stage of the season than Slaven Bilic’s Baggies.
But, despite obvious defensive flaws, Bilic has made a new number nine his top priority with Niang emerging as one of the top targets, and certainly a more ambitious one than Huddersfield Town’s Karlan Grant.
Too ambitious, perhaps.
Because, after L’Equipe suggested that the former AC Milan youngster was unconvinced by the idea of joining a West Brom side who already look set for a battle against relegation, talks with Niang have hit a brick wall (Telegraph).
The Midland giants were willing to pay a £1 million loan fee before potentially signing the ex-Watford man in an £18 million permanent deal should Bilic guide West Brom away from the drop zone (Sun, 20 September, page 61).
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