West Brom deny Youssouf Mulumbu could leave The Hawthorns

The Baggies have reacted with indifference to the latest summer claims from Mulumbu's representatives that the midfielder could move on.

And attentions behind the scenes at The Hawthorns are focused instead on finding Pepe Mel's successor, with the club still keen to make an appointment early next week.

Mulumbu, who signed a new two-year deal at the start of last season with an extra year's option in Albion's favour, is no stranger to summer speculation with his name linked to moves away in every summer of his Baggies career.

Agent Doug Pingisi said: "Youssouf has completed a good, consistent season despite the difficulties West Brom encountered.

"He's demonstrated that he's gone up a level and has matured all round. He's now aspiring to test himself in European competitions."

However, Albion officials have privately dismissed the comments.

They are continuing to interview potential candidates to replace Mel but ex-Swansea boss Michael Laudrup is unlikely to be among them after he appeared to rule himself out of the running.

Laudrup, who led Swansea to Capital One Cup success in 2013 but left the club last season amid frosty relations with his players, had been favoured by a section of the Albion fanbase as the ideal man to take over at The Hawthorns.

But the Denmark legend told the media in his homeland: "I have talked to clubs in England and Spain.

"I will try to not sound arrogant now, because I am not, but it has been clubs on a level where I have already been.

"I have tried smaller clubs in the two big leagues, Getafe and Mallorca in Spain and Swansea in the Premier League.

"Therefore, I do not see any reason to repeat it.

"That leaves with me two options: to wait for an offer from a big club or accept one of the offers I have received from clubs outside Europe."