West Brom 'quietly' getting on with their transfer plans

The Baggies are one of very few Championship clubs still yet to confirm a new signing and Carlos Corberan had hoped for a new face or two before today, which is the start of a week-long training camp at St George’s Park in Burton.

Albion are battling financial constraints during a summer squad rebuild – but managing director Miles said they do not necessarily need to move players out before getting others in.

“I think the market is very quiet at the moment, it almost needs a domino effect, some things to start happening with players to ripple its way through,” explained Miles. “There’s not a lot happening at the moment but a lot happening behind the scenes.

“Just because things haven’t been announced, it doesn’t necessarily mean nothing’s happening.

“We’re not reliant on getting out before we get in, we can bring in. The next bit of business we do might be a couple of ins, the next bit might be a couple of outs, there’s no requirement to get out before we get in, we can play around with that.

“But we also need to be mindful something might just arise tomorrow and we need to be in position to strike if that’s the person we want, last year we did that with Okay Yokuslu, he suddenly became available and we were in a position to strike. We need to be able to do that now.”

Only four senior players saw contracts expire at the end of last season. Jake Livermore, Tom Rogic and Kean Bryan were released to help balance the books, while Erik Pieters made a big enough impression on Corberan to be rewarded with another year.

The club made £7million profit through academy graduate Dara O’Shea’s move to Burnley, plus wages. Contracts expiring next summer are Pieters, Kyle Bartley, Matty Phillips, David Button, Martin Kelly, Nathaniel Chalobah, Adam Reach, Alex Mowatt and Cedric Kipre.

Miles said of the difficulties at lowering the Baggies’ wage bill: “It’s a challenge because obviously players have contracts but we have to look at doing things creatively.

“Sometimes with players potentially coming to the end of their contract they might want to go early somewhere else if they aren’t going to play and get a multi-year contract, there’s lots of different ways to look at it.

“It is a challenge, there’s no doubt about that, but one we face and embrace.”

In an ideal world Albion were competitive and in a healthier place where the likes of O’Shea need not move on, but his sale has been a timely and important boost this summer.

Asked of the prospect of other key players exiting, the MD said: “Carlos is fully aware if an offer came in for a player then we’d have to consider that.

“But that would be done alongside Carlos, nothing would be done behind Carlos’ back, when I first sat down with Carlos I went through all the numbers, where we’re at, that’s full transparency and honesty.

“If someone came in and offered a ridiculous amount then we’d be daft to turn it down, because that means there’s a greater opportunity for Carlos to invest.

“Carlos is aware what players we’re looking to move on and what players we’re looking to get in as well, and who we want to keep.”

Miles explained that Corberan’s target of “young and hungry” loan players from Premier League clubs will likely not come on the market until late this month or into August, when top-flight clubs asses and make their decisions.

The former director of operations did add that the free agent market is being scoured, both domestically and overseas.