Albion will tackle this season’s survival challenge with the most expensively-assembled squad in the club’s history.

The Baggies revealed an escalating wage bill that now accompanies a squad with a transfer market outlay of £45million.

But there is optimism that they have at least given head coach Roberto Di Matteo a fighting chance of fashioning a successful battle against the drop as a result.

Albion have made 10 signings, eight of them new faces, this summer and in addition have agreed six new deals with players already at the club.

But they have done so by largely sticking to their strategy of focusing on out-of-contract or loan targets to finance the wages for more experienced players Di Matteo will now hope he can mould into a tough and successful survival-fighting force.

The new signings have added £24.5million to the club’s wage bill over the course of their contracts while the new deals – including pay rises for James Morrison, Graham Dorrans and Chris Brunt – have put another £5million on top.

It means Albion’s wage bill will pass the £50million mark this season -  £51.6million as compared to the £33.4m outlay in the promotion-winning season just completed – and that does not include the £5,000-a-point bonuses the players can collect if they beat the drop.

It also means there is a net spend of £35million on the squad during the eight years of Jeremy Peace’s regime, but the Hawthorns hierarchy are optimistic they have learned their lessons and have done all they can to give Di Matteo a fighting chance.

It is Di Matteo’s link with the club’s globe-trotting sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth that has been at the heart of the recruitment drive and Ashworth acknowledges that the 2010 search required a different focus from the 2008 programme.

He explains: “Two years ago we made a conscious effort to sign players under the age of 25.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing and when we sat down with Robbie at the end of last season and asked ‘what do you need?’

“The answer was more physical presence and a bit more experience either of the top leagues in Europe, international football or the Premier League itself.

“The best way to utilise our resources was to explore the frees, loans and Bosman end of the market – hence the wage bill being so much higher this year.

“But we think we’ve got a bit of everything this summer, from ‘future-proofing’ targets such as Craig Dawson (signed from Rochdale and loaned back to the League One club), who we believe will come back to us as quite a prospect.

“Then there are players such as Nicky Shorey, Pablo Ibanez, Boaz Myhill, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Paul Scharner, who have all got Premier League experience.

“I believe we have learned the lessons of two years ago. I’m not being critical of anyone but the balance was wrong.

“In midfield, for example, we had a string of good ‘touch’ players but they were all 5ft 8in, 5ft 9in, super technical footballers.

“We were light in terms of the physical challenge.”

Albion’s start has been encouraging after the team’s nightmarish introduction to the season.

Their six-goal hammering at champions Chelsea  could have been the catalyst for an immediate surrender.

But the spirit and quality they have subsequently displayed in victory over Sunderland and then a narrow defeat at Liverpool has changed the perception of the team.

Ashworth said: “The fixture list did not make it any easier for us.

“You look at the three games before the transfer window closes and two are Chelsea and Liverpool away – thanks very much for that!”

The Baggies have also been operating in a market which has reflected the austerity now creeping into football just as much as our everyday lives.

Ashworth said: “On the final day of business, less than half the Premier League clubs were actively trying to do business.

“I’ve never known it that quiet. I kept thinking ‘I must be missing something’.

“But there was barely anything happening out there.”

Another admission from Ashworth is the nervous impatience from the sidelines is not always his greatest aid, as he tried to execute Albion’s agreed strategy.

Ashworth added: “I get frustrated sometimes, in that I swear the supporters think it’s just like a game of Championship Manager at times when nothing could be further from the truth.

“You don’t just press a button and then sign the player.

“I understand that they get frustrated, especially when the season starts and we haven’t got this player in or that player in.

“But you have to make those calls. We did not think we were going to get Scharner and the temptation would be there to take a second target.

“Then you hang on and suddenly you get the one you always wanted.”

By Martin Swain