Albion rule out Fortune scoop
Albion today dismissed claims they had received their first rejection of the summer – and urged fans to stay patient amid the already frantic transfer speculation.
Albion today dismissed claims they had received their first rejection of the summer – and urged fans to stay patient amid the already frantic transfer speculation.
Overnight reports from France claimed Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortune had turned down offers from the Baggies and Ipswich.
It was claimed the Premier League new boys and Championship outfit were after the 26-year-old who is closing out an impressive season with Nancy.
The former Lille and Utrecht hit-man has been instrumental in Nancy's surprise bid to qualify for next season's Uefa Champions League.
They are currently third in the French league and the reports suggested Fortune had rejected their overtures because of the likely prospect of playing Champions League football next season.
But Albion sources today dismissed any notion of an interest in the striker whose name is nowhere to be seen on the list of targets manager Tony Mowbray and chairman Jeremy Peace will be working on over the next three months.
The skirmish over Fortune's future follows reports already linking Albion with Polish midfielder Radoslaw Majewski and Danish keeper Jesper Christiansen.
But the Baggies are still in the preliminary stages of gauging just where they stand in the pecking order of rival clubs chasing the same players as well as assessing which targets will offer the best value for money.
One piece of business has been confirmed, however, with Barnsley taking goalkeeper Luke Steele on a permanent basis.
Steele finished the campaign on loan at Oakwell playing a key role in their FA Cup semi-final run and successful survival fight.
"Luke will sign for us on June 21 and will be here permanently for next season," said manager Simon Davey last night.
Steele is being given a free transfer by Albion.