Albion close to landing £5m Valero

Albion are close to agreeing a deal worth a club record £5million for Real Mallorca midfielder Borja Valero.

The Baggies are staying tight-lipped about any deal but media reports in Spain claim they have met the release clause in the 23-year-old's Mallorca contract.

The Spanish club's website has spoken of Valero's impending departure to Albion, although the Baggies could still face competition from Premier League rivals for the former Real Madrid trainee.

Albion have reportedly offered Valero a five-year contract worth more than £20,000 a week, potentially doubling his wages in Mallorca.

The Baggies hope that the prospect of regular first team football will convince Valero that his future lies at The Hawthorns.

Reports in Spain also claim Albion have made Mallorca an offer of around £2.9million for 20-year-old Argentine striker Oscar Trejo, but that bid falls well short of his £8.3m release clause.

The Mallorca website have also claimed Trejo has told them he wants to stay.

Mallorca's team mate Nunes have also emerged as a possible target but capturing Valero, who impressed as a substitute in Saturday's friendly between Albion and Mallorca, has become Albion's top priority.

Albion manager Tony Mowbray refused to be drawn on the speculation, as he prepared his current squad to take on Arsenal tomorrow.

He said: "Speculation is going to go on for the next three or four weeks and I could talk about every player we are linked with.

"Some of them would be 'yes', some would be 'no' and some I would never have heard of. It would just be agents trying to drum up interest in their players as the window comes to a close.

"I would rather not get into individuals, because I think it's a waste of time."

All three players caught the eye of Baggies coaches on Saturday and their availability was discussed after the match.