West Brom line up new transfer targets

Albion today turned their attentions to new left-back targets after No.1 choice Aaron Cresswell signed for West Ham.

The Ipswich defender signed for the Hammers last night after the Baggies withdrew from negotiations.

Hawthorns officials decided the fee paid by West Ham was above their valuation of Cresswell, meaning new head coach Alan Irvine could start pre-season training on Monday without a specialist full-back in his squad.

Cresswell has been watched by Albion for several years and impressed scouts sufficiently to climb to the top of their left-back list this summer.

But West Ham are rumoured to have paid more than £3m – a figure the Baggies insist was too high for the former Tranmere man.

Albion will now move on to alternative targets as they look to replace Liam Ridgewell and Goran Popov, who left The Hawthorns at the end of last season.

Norwich and Sweden full-back Martin Olsson, who was the subject of a failed bid by the Hammers before they turned their attentions to Cresswell, is keen on a move away from Carrow Road and has been watched by the Baggies for some time.

The club had previously decided not to pursue their interest in the 26-year-old, but his representatives are now expected to launch another attempt to change the Baggies' minds.

Albion are also without a recognised right-back after Steven Reid was released and Billy Jones opted for a 'Bosman' move to Sunderland.

They have enquired about former Chelsea trainee Sam Hutchinson but he is not believed to be their favoured target.

They remain in talks with Monaco about striker Emmanuel Riviere, who is highly-rated by Hawthorns scouts but would command a high transfer fee and wages.

But they are not interested in former AC Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia despite claims to the contrary from his agent.

The Baggies already have glovemen Ben Foster, Boaz Myhill and Luke Daniels under contract.