OPINION
West Bromwich Albion kicked off their January window with the signing of Mason Holgate from Everton on loan but there has been no movement since then as the market ticks towards a close.
Baggies boss Darren Moore needs to bring in a couple more new faces if he wants to secure automatic promotion in May, with midfield being an area of concern for the club.
According to the Daily Mail, West Brom are in the hunt to sign Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden, with Championship rivals Aston Villa also interested.
The newspaper claims that both clubs have made an approach for the 23-year-old, who has made it clear he wants to head south as soon as possible.
Hayden has admittedly not had the best of times at St. James’ Park in recent seasons, with the young midfielder playing a big part in their Championship season before being largely overlooked upon their return.
The former Arsenal trainee is seeking a move away from Newcastle for personal reasons, and while Newcastle will need to sign a replacement before he leaves, the Baggies are certainly in with a shout of signing him this month.
Hayden would be a brilliant addition to the West Brom midfield, adding some much-needed energy to an area which has posed a few problems for Moore this season.
He is admittedly not the most exciting player, but he does the basics well, and at 23 years old, there is plenty of scope for him to improve with regular minutes.
Also, West Brom would not only be signing a quality player to help them in their promotion hunt, but they would also be denying a close rival the same boost.
All in all this is a no-brainer for Moore and the Baggies in the coming days, and they must blow their rivals out of the water to make it happen.