Club News

Ashworth on club's transfer plans

Albion already lining up targets for 2013/14

DAN Ashworth has revealed work is already well underway at The Hawthorns on Albion’s summer 2013 transfer targets.

The sporting & technical director believes adding the six recent signings – Ben Foster, Claudio Yacob, Goran Popov, Romelu Lukaku, Markus Rosenberg and Yassine El Ghanassy – to the existing squad will serve the Baggies well for the remainder of the campaign.

He insists January is now largely about focussing on potential deals to boost the squad ahead of the 2013/14 season.

“Every previous transfer window, the word outside of the club has been ‘we need another defender, we need another midfielder etc’ but I think this is the first window we haven’t had any criticism,” Ashworth reflected.

“Whether that is a good or a bad sign, I don’t know!

“But we’ve filled all the slots we planned to and, short of any injuries or fantastic offers on players we’re prepared to listen to, I can’t really see us doing an awful lot in January.

“The window closed on August 31 and on September 1 an internal email went round the club saying here are our summer targets.

“If the right ones come up in January ready for our summer business, either on pre-contracts, which we can do from abroad, players in the last six months of their contract, or an incredible deal is available, we know the positions we want to strengthen for next season.”