Steve Bruce set to target free transfers at West Brom

Transfer insider Dean Jones reckons that Steve Bruce is going to utilise the free agent market to strengthen his West Brom squad.

The 61-year-old was named as Valerien Ismael’s replacement on Thursday and is already looking to get down to work.

Just under four months after Bruce was sacked by Newcastle, he’s back in management and in a familiar part of the country. He’s already managed Midlands rivals Aston Villa and Birmingham in his career, but that didn’t put him off accepting the job at the Hawthorns.

Bruce has signed an 18-month deal in the Black Country, although his arrival comes just three days after the transfer window was closed, meaning he just missed out on the January window.

But Bruce has been in the management game for just under 25 years, meaning he’s likely to have a considerable contact list and will therefore be able to sign free agents at any time during the campaign.

Ismael signed Daryl Dike and then Andy Carroll before his departure earlier this week, although the former suffered a hamstring problem on his full Baggies debut and is facing a long spell out injured.

With those two West Brom’s only January signings, Jones believes that Bruce is still hoping to improve his squad in the coming weeks.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I heard that Steve Bruce is going to start looking at ways he still might be able to strengthen his squad and free agents are something he’s going to start exploring.”

West Brom have already brought in one of the best free agents in the market in Carroll, who should be right up Bruce’s street. But there are other players available for nothing that the Baggies manger could turn to.

One of the most high-profile free agents right now is Jack Wilshere. The former Arsenal midfielder is