West Bromwich Albion boss is banking on loan stars

Nov 26 2008 By Chris Lepkowski

WEST Bromwich Albion will go for loans over cash deals this January - with Tony Mowbray revealing that a defensive midfielder and striker are top of his list.

The Baggies boss is desperate to reinforce his squad following a recent poor run of form.

Albion tried to sign midfielder Kevin Thomson of Rangers and Real Mallorca’s striker Oscar Trejo before the closure of the summer window but both are non-starters now, with the former facing a lengthy lay-off through injury and the Spanish side showing no signs of dropping their asking price for the latter.

They also tried for Andrei Voronin on loan and looked at his Liverpool team-mate Damien Plessis.

More recently they have been linked with a loan move for Manchester United's striker Manucho and have been alerted to the availability of Lithuanian playmaker Minaugas Kalonas, who is available on a Bosman free transfer.

Asked whether he would seek to sign a defensive midfielder, Mowbray told the Birmingham Mail: “I think so. We tried very hard in the last window to buy a specific player for that position yet it didnt quite work - as we did with a striker until the last few minutes of the window.

“The two we missed out in the last few days of the window would have been big players for us in this situation - neither are available now, for varying reasons.

“When it doesn’t work then, as a manager, you need to get the one you want rather than just bring in some faces or names.

“What happens with promoted sides is that there are too many positions to create competition in and whilst you are happy to bring this one or that one in when you look at the make up you still may need others.

“I was happy to go with what we’ve got. I always felt there were enough goals in this team but we haven’t scored as many as we would have liked to.