West Brom Tony Mowbray has confirmed the club will not be signing Benfica striker Ariza Makukula.
Baggies chief not hopeful on Luyindula
West Brom Tony Mowbray has confirmed the club will not be signing Benfica striker Ariza Makukula.
Makukula, who is being linked with Bolton, revealed earlier on Thursday he was not interested in making a loan switch to the Hawthorns after holding talks with the club.
Mowbray is also pessimistic about his chances of signing Paris St Germain hit-man Peguy Luyindula and he will now switch his attentions elsewhere in search of reinforcements.
"I am pretty sure any deal for Makukula isn't going to happen," said Mowbray. "That won't happen. For a few reasons, it won't happen and I think it is best we leave it at that.
"As for Luyindula, I would suggest nothing will happen with that one - but, when I look at the balance of the strikers we have got in now, I am reasonably happy.
"There is potential for maybe one more to come in but that would be it for me. Let's wait and see. There is half a door open for other players to come in but, if it doesn't happen, I won't be overly disappointed.
"I think we have lacked the cutting edge at the top end of the pitch and let's hope the changearound of a few in that department can spark the team into more goals."
Boost
Mowbray has enjoyed some success in the transfer front by luring Marc-Antoine Fortune on loan from Nancy and he believes the striker will prove a valuable addition to the squad.
"I really like good footballers and I think basically he is a good footballer who plays centre-forward," added Mowbray.
"He is a player who has got a good appreciation of the ball, who has got good movement, who can hold it up for his team and hopefully threaten the goal.
"I like him as a football player. I am delighted he is here and hopefully he will contribute to our team. I think he will fit into the way we play and hopefully he can add goals as well.
"He can do whatever you ask him to do. The days we want to play to one underneath one (4-4-1-1) he is a natural forward and, if you want him to play up front on his own, as he has done for Nancy, he can do that as well.
"Sometimes when you bring a player in, you've got to let them settle into your team and see where he naturally wants to play around the balance of the players you have got out on the field.
"Given the opportunity to play, he will have to settle into the shape and system of the team.
"But, if international clearance comes through, he will be in there as our player for the weekend and it will be down to whether I select him or not."
Simpson no-go
Mowbray also confirmed that he does not see Jay Simpson's loan from Arsenal turning into a permanent arrangment.
"I think is future is firmly at Arsenal," he told
Sky Sports News.
"Clubs look get players for various reasons and sometimes there is a clause to buy them and sometimes there isn't, but I think Arsenal just one to get a young man some playing time in the Premier League."
