West Bromwich Albion are poised to break their transfer record to sign Nacer Chadli from Tottenham Hotspur after the clubs reached an agreement about a permanent move. Chadli is set to undergo a medical at West Brom on Monday in a deal worth around £13m, with the Belgium international expected to be the first of several signings made in a frantic few days before the transfer window closes.
Chadli’s pace and creativity are just what Albion need to give everyone at the club a lift after a frustrating summer in the transfer market. Albion have made only one permanent signing in this window – Matty Phillips from Queens Park Rangers – and Sunday’s goalless draw at home against Middlesbrough underlined the weaknesses in their squad.
Signed from FC Twente for £7m in 2013, Chadli made 40 appearances for Spurs last season in all competitions but more than half of those were from the bench. This season the 27-year-old has not featured for Spurs or even been named among the substitutes, forcing him to look elsewhere in search of first-team football.
Tony Pulis, the Albion manager, is targeting four other players before 11pm on Wednesday, with another striker likely to be a priority if Saido Berahino departs. Stoke City are expected to make a renewed attempt to sign the out-of-favour forward on Monday in a deal that could be worth up to £20m.
