Tony Mowbray reveals West Brom transfer "issues" | OneFootball

Baggies boss Tony Mowbray has outlined the challenges Albion have to face in the European market to sign a striker.

West Brom boss Tony Mowbray has revealed he has been working around the clock to target a goalscorer, but insisted Albion have to navigate challenges in the European market.

The Baggies recently lost top scorer Josh Maja to a lower leg injury, which has resulted in the Nigerian international requiring surgery.

With Maja not expected back until the spring, Devante Cole has failed to prove he has the attributes to step up to the plate, while Daryl Dike requires a bit more time before he can make a long-awaited return.

Due to this, the Baggies are reportedly making a striker signing a number one priority heading into the final 10 days of the January transfer window, as the Black Country outfit look to secure enough ammunition at the top end of the pitch to keep in the hunt for the play-offs.

Albion are just a point off the top six heading into their crunch match with Portsmouth at The Hawthorns this weekend after a 2-0 defeat to Middlesbrough in midweek, with the Baggies failing to capitalise on the 58% possession they had in the game.

With a lack of goals a leading issue in the squad, Mowbray revealed in his pre-match press conference about the efforts put in by everybody at the club to secure a talisman.

Tony Mowbray highlights effort to recruit a striker

Speaking in his press conference, Mowbray alluded to working late on Thursday evening with director of football operations Ian Pearce, reviewing numerous amounts of footage of players from across the continent, as Albion continue to draft a shortlist.

As reported by the Express & Star, Mowbray said: "I know the club have been working hard in the background trying to add. That continues.

"I sat with Ian (Pearce) till pretty late last night watching players from across Europe. There are one or two issues as to why you can or can't get certain players in, how eligible they are, but generally the club are working hard and trying to help.

"Hopefully in the next two weeks we'll add a player who lives for goals. Who is the best in the world at scoring goals? Erling Haaland, some games he has ten touches but scores three goals.

"We need to have players on the pitch who can supply a player who wants to score, who is always in the six-yard box and demands the winger puts the ball in. They're not easy to find. Every club wants a goalscorer. Hopefully, we can work with the ones we've got."

The report from the Express & Star also states the club's recruitment model is guided by digital apps like 'Wyscout', which provides clips and information on any player or team across the globe. Albion will then focus on scouting once the data has led them in a specific direction.

As per the Express & Star report, the Baggies face challenges recruiting more overseas players, given they have already secured the four elite significant contribution (ESC) players they are allowed per season.

Uros Racic, Gianluca Frabotta, Torbjorn Heggem and Ousmane Diakite have filled up these spots, so Albion will have a tough task to find players who do qualify through the nation and league they are signed from.

Another alternative would be to open up one of the current ESC slots, with a loan termination of Racic the most likely option to help achieve this, with the Serbian cutting an underwhelming figure so far at The Hawthorns.

It’s far from an ideal position for West Brom to be in heading into the final stages of the transfer window, but the Baggies will have to get these next steps right if they are to continue their push for Premier League football next season.