West Brom are targeting Galatasaray striker Mbaye Diagne after being unable to agree a loan with Hoffenheim for Ishak Belfodil, as manager Sam Allardyce works through his list of potential new recruits that can help keep Albion in the Premier League
Friday 15 January 2021 16:29, UK
West Brom are interested in a deal for Galatasaray striker Mbaye Diagne.
The Senegal international is potentially available on loan, with an option to buy if Albion survive in the Premier League this season, despite scoring 11 goals in 18 appearances in all competitions this term.
The 29-year-old still has two-and-a-half years left on his Galatasaray contract and has hit form this season after spending time on loan at Club Brugge in Belgium last year, playing for them in the Champions League.
West Brom have moved on to Diagne after being unable to agree a loan deal with Hoffenheim for striker Ishak Belfodil.
New manager Sam Allardyce has been working through a list of targets to see admitted to Sky Sports News earlier this week that they have tried and failed for a number of players since his arrival.
"We have tried to acquire at least one or two new players this week but that hasn't come to fruition," he said. "There are still plenty of irons in the fire and we will continue until the end of the window to try and improve the squad for the back end of the season, with the fight that lies ahead of us."
Allardye has also admitted to local media that they could bring back and have a look at Kenneth Zohore, who is currently on loan at Millwall in the Championship, but has struggled with injuries.
Diagne is the new transfer target and has scored nine goals in the Super Lig this season, putting them firmly in the title race. He is popular among the fans and would be a big loss for the Istanbul club if he leaves.
is career began in the Italian lower leagues and he was spotted and signed by Antonio Conte for Serie A champions Juventus as a 21-year-old in 2013, but was unable to make his name there and moved to China with Tianjin TEDA three years later.
After 15 goals in the Chinese Super Lig he returned to Europe and signed for Turkish side Kasimpasa, where he scored 32 league goals across two seasons and was then snapped up by Galatasaray in 2019.
For them, he has been playing as a lone centre-forward and is a sizeable presence up front, a very good finisher and has also shown an ability to drop deeper and link up play. According to Wyscout data, he has the best expected goals (10.3) and best expected goals and assists (10.94) rating for the rest of the season in Turkey.
