Express & Star

West Brom in talks with Sheffield United over goalkeeper Simon Moore

Albion are in talks with Sheffield United to sign goalkeeper Simon Moore as back-up to Sam Johnstone.

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Simon Moore in action for former club Cardiff.

The 28-year-old was a mainstay in Chris Wilder's side that won the League One title in 2016/17 but he was in and out of the Blades team last season.

United have signed Dean Henderson on loan from Manchester United this summer, shunting Moore down to number two.

Baggies goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler is keen to lure him to The Hawthorns to provide competition for new signing Johnstone.

Albion have already spent £6.5m on Johnstone this summer in order to replace long-serving No.1 Ben Foster, who left for Watford in a deal worth £1.5m up front rising to a potential £3.8m.

But they still need at least one back-up goalkeeper after releasing 35-year-old Boaz Myhill at the end of June, and may decide to bring in a third shot-stopper too.

Albion are currently focusing their efforts in the transfer market towards the back of the team, and are on the verge of completing the signing of defender Kyle Bartley.

Centre-back Bartley is joining from Swansea in a deal worth £4m, and will bolster a backline left threadbare by the exits of Gareth McAuley and Jonny Evans.

Head coach Darren Moore has confirmed that he expects one or two new faces to be arriving in the next seven days.

"We are definitely further on transfers and very hopeful that in the next week we'll see a couple of bodies joining us," said Moore.

"We're down the line with one or two but you can never say for sure until they're signed and sealed.

"We're working on that very hard and should see a few more additions to the squad."

A number of clubs are attempting to cherry-pick Albion's senior players from them this summer following relegation.

Cardiff and Newcastle are reportedly interested in Matt Phillips, while Burnley remain keen on Craig Dawson and Jay Rodriguez.

Both Dawson and James McClean, who is wanted by Stoke and is yet to return to training, are agitating for a move away and did not feature in Saturday's pre-season win over Swindon.