Steve Bruce: West Brom transfer net cast wide enough
Boss Steve Bruce has stressed the importance of Albion knowing the domestic transfer market inside out.
Bruce, chief executive Ron Gourlay and head of recruitment Ian Pearce are working to bolster Albion's squad in what the manager hopes will be a busy finale to the window at The Hawthorns.
Albion have been very reliant on players arriving from domestic rivals in recent years. Additions from overseas have been few and far between.
Just 12 of the Baggies' last 75 signings – dating back to the start of 2015 – have arrived directly from foreign clubs, excluding out of contract players.
There have been varying levels of success among Okay Yokuslu, Matheus Pereira, Ahmed Hegazi and Salomon Rondon, but there have been some costly duds, as well as players who did not feature once, among the rest – Zhang Yuning, Ali Gabr, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Filip Krovinovic, Mbaye Diagne, Chris Willock, Oliver Burke and Daryl Dike, whose Albion career is yet to get off the ground.
"Absolutely," Bruce responded when asked if the club cast the net enough with transfers. "We're not awash with money, so you have to know this market exceptionally well.
"Of course, we've got Okay in the past, they've got a few others. It helps that we knew Okay of course, but you have to concentrate on a certain area when you haven't got a lot to spend."
Striker Dike, who is currently out with a thigh tear – a second serious injury since arriving in January – had previously impressed and came on the radar with Championship rivals Barnsley. Turkey international Yokuslu recently sealed a permanent return following a successful loan.
Bruce has been particularly successful with recent business north of the border, having brought John McGinn to Villa and Andy Robertson to Hull.
On the prospect of more gems to follow from that market in particular, he added: "I wish, I hope! Given time. Especially the last two (track record is good). We nearly missed out on McGinn to Celtic, the new owners came in just in time. If they hadn't have done he wouldn't be there. We didn't have £2m to spend at the time.
"Robertson...that was my chief scout who worked with me for years, Stan Tennant. I can give you Harry Maguire too, if you like! And Clucas. It's important that you know that area. The kid who came out of Scotland (Ross Stewart) has done well at Sunderland.
"This notion there isn't anything in Scotland...and of course the young right back at Middlesbrough, ten grand from non-league. If you can get it right, it reaps its rewards."
