West Brom chief executive Mark Jenkins flies to China for talks with owner Guochuan Lai
Chief Executive Mark Jenkins has flown out to China for high-level talks with Albion owner Guochuan Lai.
Jenkins is hoping to appoint a new technical director soon after speaking to candidates over the past few weeks, and has taken his recommendations to Lai.
He has also give Albion’s majority shareholder a summary of the summer transfer window which effectively closed last Friday when the loan window shut.
Jenkins flew out after the 2-1 victory over Stoke City lifted the Baggies into the top ten, and he has been discussing plans for the season ahead in wide-ranging talks with Lai and his people.
But the appointment of a new technical director was high on the agenda.
Lai sacked Nick Hammond from that position in April because of his role in appointing Alan Pardew as head coach.
Albion’s Chinese owner then appointed former Italian goalkeeper Giuliano Terraneo as a temporary technical consultant.
But Terraneo’s tenure did not last long amid rumours of arrogant negotiating techniques with other clubs and divisions with those at the Baggies.
Head coach Darren Moore and Jenkins were unconvinced by the players he was recommending, who primarily came from the continent, and in particular Italy.
By contrast, Moore and Jenkins were keener to bring in British experience. On Saturday, 17 of Albion’s 18 players in their match-day squad were British.
After Terraneo was removed half-way through the summer, Moore and his coaching staff took charge of recruitment.
But the Baggies are aware that asking their head coach to shoulder so much in the future is unsustainable and are keen to bring in a permanent replacement for Hammond.
Jenkins has been making enquiries for the past month, and is believed to be now entering the interview process.
The club are eager to have their man in place in time to prepare for the January transfer window, when they will have money to spend.
Albion made £7m net profit over the summer thanks to the £10m sale of Nacer Chadli to Monaco last week, and are ready to reinvest that in the New Year should the squad require it.
