ALBION have stepped back up their interest in Argentinian striker Jonathan Calleri.
But the Championship pacesetters face competition from European heavyweights for the Boca Juniors ace and they would have to shatter the club’s transfer record to land him in January.
Paul Winstanley, Albion’s head of recruitment, was in Buenos Aires last weekend on a wide-ranging scouting mission involving Calleri and other targets.
Italian giants Inter Milan and at least one other European club are keen on Calleri, although they have yet to make a bid.
Boca’s asking price of around £6.5 million is more than double the existing club record paid by Albion to sign Craig Mackail-Smith from Peterborough four years ago.
The Argus first revealed their interest in Calleri towards the end of the August transfer window.
They tabled an offer and chief executive Paul Barber flew to Buenos Aires but no agreement could be reached.
Argentinian clubs are notoriously difficult to do business with and the timing of the potential sale of Calleri is complicated by a forthcoming Presidential re-election at Boca.
Winstanley watched Calleri notch his tenth goal of the campaign in a 3-1 defeat at Racing Club for the premier division champions-elect.
Juniors are still five points clear at the top of the table entering the final few weeks of the season.
Original article
But the Championship pacesetters face competition from European heavyweights for the Boca Juniors ace and they would have to shatter the club’s transfer record to land him in January.
Paul Winstanley, Albion’s head of recruitment, was in Buenos Aires last weekend on a wide-ranging scouting mission involving Calleri and other targets.
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Italian giants Inter Milan and at least one other European club are keen on Calleri, although they have yet to make a bid.
Boca’s asking price of around £6.5 million is more than double the existing club record paid by Albion to sign Craig Mackail-Smith from Peterborough four years ago.
The Argus first revealed their interest in Calleri towards the end of the August transfer window.
They tabled an offer and chief executive Paul Barber flew to Buenos Aires but no agreement could be reached.
Argentinian clubs are notoriously difficult to do business with and the timing of the potential sale of Calleri is complicated by a forthcoming Presidential re-election at Boca.
Winstanley watched Calleri notch his tenth goal of the campaign in a 3-1 defeat at Racing Club for the premier division champions-elect.
Juniors are still five points clear at the top of the table entering the final few weeks of the season.
Original article