West Bromwich Albion gossips
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TOITE ... targetWEST BROM have had a £3million bid rejected for Ivorian midfielder Cheick Tiote.
The FC Twente star, 24, played three World Cup games.
OVER MEITE ... Baggies want to shift defenderWEST BROM may have to pay off defender Abdoulaye Meite to seal his £500,000 exit.
The Ivory Coast ace, 29, is wanted by French club Lens but on a much lower salary.
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BEATTIE ... £1.5million bidWEST BROM have pulled clear of Blackburn and Sheffield United in the chase for James Beattie by offering Stoke £1.5million for him.
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce and United's Kevin Blackwell have so far only watched the former England striker, 32, in a friendly.
YIL BY MOUTH ... DenizDENIZ YILMAZ has begged Bayern Munich to let him move to England.
Blackpool, Newcastle and West Brom are keen on the £1million Turk striker, 22.
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FIT AND READY ... Gonzalo Jara is backWORLD CUP star Gonzalo Jara has returned to West Brom and is set to feature in this weekend's friendly with Osasuna.
The 24-year-old defender played a major role in helping Chile reach the last 16 in South Africa after recovering from a broken metatarsal suffered in February.
Jara, who joined the Baggies from Coco-Colo for £1.4million last August, missed the start of pre-season to recover from his World Cup efforts.
But he is now looking to impress at the weekend and push for a place in West Brom's opening Premier League clash with Chelsea on August 14.
Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo confirmed: "Gonzalo will be involved in some capacity on Saturday. We will assess his condition for the rest of the week before deciding how much he will be involved.
"But he is a quality player and I'm looking forward to seeing him progress in the Premier League."
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IN DEMAND ... Moussa DembeleBIRMINGHAM are facing competition from West Brom for AZ Alkmaar striker Moussa Dembele.
The Baggies have joined Brum in holding talks with the 23-year-old, who is rated at £5million.
City boss Alex McLeish is convinced Dembele will provide the kind of extra quality he is looking to add to his team.
He said: "Dembele is top quality but I'm advertising him to everyone else by speaking about him.
"It's difficult when someone has got options and he is a top player. The player maybe knows as well.
"Some perhaps have a little self doubt but the very top players don't have that.
"To bring in those kind of guys, to attract those kind of players to Birmingham, obviously there's a lot of money involved and, at times, big wage demands.
"But that's the ambitions I have and I would like to try and attract quality to this football team, enhance the quality factor in the team we already have."
Dembele claimed yesterday that Birmingham had provided him with his most "concrete" offer to date.
Albion are also interested in signing Aston Villa full-back Nicky Shorey.
He is one of half a dozen players made available for transfer.
Shorey joined Villa from Reading two years ago but has struggled to command a regular spot.
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RED ALERT ... Baggies want NgogDAVID NGOG remains on West Brom's wanted list.
The Baggies saw their efforts to sign the Liverpool striker, 21, come to nothing last month.
But Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo is hoping that Fernando Torres' recent decision to stay at Anfield will prompt the Reds to let Ngog leave on loan.
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IN GOOD NICK ... Shorey joins West BromWEST BROM have signed former England full-back Nicky Shorey.
The 29-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the Baggies, who have the option of a further twelve months, after moving from Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee.
West Brom boss Roberto Di Matteo said: "I'm delighted to welcome Nicky to the club."
Shorey made his name with Reading, where he spent seven years after joining from Orient as a teenager.
He joined Villa in August 2008, but had difficulty establishing himself in the first team, and had loan spells with Fulham and Nottingham Forest.
Shorey, who will face competition from Slovakia international Marek Cech and former England Under-21 defender Joe Mattock for the left-back spot at the Hawthorns, is Albion's fifth summer signing after Pablo Ibanez, Steven Reid, Boaz Myhill and Gabriel Tamas.
Di Matteo added: "He's an experienced, solid, reliable left-back who likes to get forward and get involved. I like that fact that he's English and knows what the Premier League is all about.
"He's a player I've liked for some time. I've very much signed Nicky to compete for the left-back position and I have some good options down that flank as Marek can also play further forward.
"Nicky's arrival will not only increase competition but also means we will have options should we suffer injuries or suspensions."
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TARGET ... David NgogWEST BROM are still hopeful they can complete a deal for Liverpool striker David Ngog.
Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo has been pursuing the French player throughout the summer without success.
But he is refusing to give up on landing Ngog in time for the new campaign and a clash with his former club Chelsea.
Di Matteo said: "Ngog is a player we've been linked with and we are working on that one.
"We're trying. It's ongoing. We are looking at a number of players we would like to sign."
Di Matteo is aware of the need to bring in new firepower and Salzburg's Somen Tchoyi also remains on their radar.
The Baggies still have fitness doubts over Pablo Ibanez for the opener at Stamford Bridge.
Ibanez is suffering from a hamstring injury although scans have revealed no major damage.
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IN THE BAGG ... Rob is closing in on OdemwingieWEST BROM are poised to bag Lokomotiv Moscow striker Peter Odemwingie for £2.5million.
And Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo also plans to sign Red Bull Salzburg winger Somen Tchoyi in a deal worth £1.5m.
HOT TIOTE ... Cheik TioteWEST BROM have bid £3million for FC Twente's Ivory Coast midfielder Check Tiote.
Albion watched Tiote, 24, when he played in the Elephants' 1-0 friendly win over Italy at Upton Park two weeks ago.
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FAITH ... Roberto Di MatteoWEST BROM boss Roberto Di Matteo has told his shellshocked players: I still have faith in you.
Di Matteo takes on Sunderland at The Hawthorns today still smarting from last week's 6-0 hammering at former club Chelsea.
The Italian refuses to make wholesale changes, insisting not all games will be as bad as last Saturday's slaughter.
He said: "I don't think I'll make changes after just one game. I believe in the team, I have confidence in them.
"Too many changes does not benefit this team.But it's never happened to me in my career.
"This is new to me and maybe I must learn. I'll analyse things with them.
"We won't play Chelsea every weekend."
Di Matteo refuses to accept relegation is now inevitable after one game.
He said: "I try to be objective. Last year Chelsea thrashed teams. It's a tough place to go."
Di Matteo has completed two new signings. Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie joins from Lokomotiv Moscow for £2.5million while he paid £1.5m for Cameroon midfield ace Somen Tchoyi from Red Bull Salzburg.
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GET YOU .... WBA want Getafe's BoatengWEST BROM have bid £3million for Getafe's Derek Boateng.
Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo wants to sign the Ghanaian midfielder, 27, before Sunday's trip to Liverpool.
WANTED ... Marc WilsonSTOKE could pip West Brom to sign Portsmouth defender Marc Wilson.
The Baggies were eyeing a £3million move but Stoke will offer cash plus Dave Kitson.
CITY BOY ... Leon BarnettNORWICH have signed Leon Barnett, 24, on loan until January 4.
Canaries boss Paul Lambert said of the West Brom defender: "Leon is a quality player - I am delighted."