Carlos Corberan admits West Brom's "need" in transfer market
Boss Carlos Corberan has stressed Albion's "need" to further bolster the ranks in the remaining month of the transfer window.
The head coach, who takes his side to Blackburn tomorrow for the Championship curtain-raiser, is not satisfied with just the two recruits he has brought to The Hawthorns in trying financial circumstances and is looking to add more.
The Spaniard insists "there are still positions to cover", though is well aware he is acting within the parameters of the club's financial footing – with deals out also a priority. There is interest in players Albion are looking to shift, as the need to balance books continues.
"It's not a hope, it's a need that we have," Corberan said at this morning's press conference. "It's important to cover the areas and positions that we still need to cover, according to the possibilities of the club – we need to work in both needs, the financial possibilities of the club and the financial needs of the squad.
"We still have things to do in the squad. The market is still open for close to one month.
"We must still improve the squad, always according to the possibilities of the club. It's important for me to add some numbers to be a competitive team."
Corberan and Albion knew that had to be patient in this summer's window and that was rewarded over the last fortnight with exciting additions Jeremy Sarmiento and Josh Maja.
The attackers, aged 21 and 24 respectively, fit the club's profile this summer of hungry young players with steps to take to progress their career.
Sarmiento will travel with the squad to Ewood Park for tomorrow's clash while Maja is catching up with fitness and the aim is for his involvement against Swansea next Saturday.
Asked if Corberan sees future recruits this month to follow the trend of his first two signings, the Spaniard said: "It depends! It's more than this profile. It depends on the qualities of the players, the possibilities of the market, our financial possibilities.
"It doesn't mean we aren't going to be look at a player who is 30, if he has the skills that we understand can offer things to the squad.
"Sarmiento is one player who it is obvious needed minutes. When he was at Benfica before Brighton, he didn't have enough minutes in a row in the season, so he is a player with a lot of potential and a need for minutes.
"He has the potential and the need, and we had the need to add players with potential, so that worked for all parties.
"Maja was more about looking for possible strikers and the fact that he was free...there is a moment where free players will find clubs.
"Maybe around the time we were at St George's Park was the first time we had conversations, the first contact with him and at the end we decided to bring him to the club – for many reasons, including his skill as a player."
Interest remains in Albion players and, ideally, the club can bring in more funds via player sales between now and September 2.
Grady Diangana, Josh Griffiths, Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Nathaniel Chalobah and David Button are all players not in Corberan's first XI plans and available, though all are currently commanding varying levels of interest.
Loans for younger players will be sanctioned at a later stage when Corberan has a firmer handle on his squad.
