West Brom boss Sam Allardyce forced to lower sights in window

But the 66-year-old revealed the Baggies have missed out on a host of targets – with the head coach now less confident he will get the reinforcements he craves.

Allardyce had previously said he hoped to sign three more players before the window shuts on February 1 with the boss understood to have been chasing a defender, defensive midfielder and a striker.

Now, though, he says he is only chasing two despite Robert Snodgrass being the only first-team addition so far this month.

“It’s the last week so I’m not that confident, to be honest with you,” Allardyce said when asked how confident he is Albion will make additions over the next six days.

“There have been a lot of players who we felt we were close with and then other clubs appeared who were more attractive to that player.

“Sometimes it’s fallen down because we are not in a position to buy a player outright at this moment in time.

“We are looking at loan players, maybe with a possibility of buying them at the end of the season if we are still in the Premier League – but that is not getting us very far at the moment, unfortunately.

“But there are still quite a few players available in the market this week, it’s whether we can get the right ones for West Brom, the right ones to improve our squad. We’d like two more if we can.”

Despite their struggles, Allardyce believes Albion are still an attractive proposition to players, particularly those currently abroad, because they are in the Premier League.

“The Premier League – the best league in the world,” Allardyce said when asked how does he sell Albion to targets.

“Most people in Europe would like to experience playing in the Premier League because it is so worldwide and talked about more than any other league.

“It is the best league and it pays the best.

“All those factors mean players may want to enter into our difficult situation and prove themselves in the Premier League.

“That may boost them and help their careers and their future.

“With it being on loan, it gives them a chance to prove to other people how good they are.

“It is not just a one-way street for us, sometimes it is about putting a player in the shop window by doing a job for us.”