West Brom transfer dossier: Darren Fletcher replacement and retaining Jonny Evans are Pulis priorities

After a respectable 10<sup>th place finish last season, West Brom find themselves living in comfortable mid-table obscurity – adrift of those sides challenging for Europe but clear of those scrapping for survival.

The Baggies have an enormous task in bridging the gap between themselves and those jostling for Europa League qualification, but Tony Pulis is hoping to be handed enough funds to improve on last season's finish by owner Guochuan Lai. The manager began working on the process of bringing new faces to the club before the 2016-17 season had even finished, but there is plenty still to be done at the Hawthorns.

Business so far

Despite playing a prominent role last season, Darren Fletcher has left the Baggies having failed to sign a new contract, instead penning a two-year deal with Stoke City. One man who doesn't appear to be leaving however is Jonny Evans, with his club having already turned down a £10m offer for the former Manchester United defender.

Among the players released by the club was Belgian defender Sebastien Pocognoli, having long been frozen out of the first-team by Pulis.

What they need

Fletcher started 37 of his side's 38 league matches last season; a replacement for the Scot is perhaps the manager's first priority. West Brom's need for a natural left-back has been a long-running theme of these sort of articles and while Allan Nyon did his best filling in on what is his weaker side, a long-term solution is desperately needed.

Salomon Rondon and Hal Robson-Kanu shared striking duties last season but having mustered just 11 goals between them, another option is required. Gareth McAuley notched seven last seven last season, finishing as his side's second top scorer.

Who could join

After leaving Chelsea, John Terry has no shortage of clubs ready to offer him first-team football next season. According to Sky Sports, the Baggies have opened talks with the former Blues skipper after Pulis confirmed his interest in signing him in March. Ahmed Musa, one of the most forgettable signings of last summer, is seeking a move away from Leicester City and according to the forward's agent, he is determined to remain in England with West Brom one possible option. But a more likely option could be Alvaro Negredo, with The Sun reporting the Spaniard is keen to remain in England following Middlesbrough's relegation.

Pulis has previously tried to take Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek on loan and with the 21-year-old's first-team chances at Stamford Bridge likely to become even slimmer next season, the Baggies boss may fancy his chances of finally sealing that move.

A move for Leeds United starlet Charlie Taylor could be off the table, however. Pulis has said the club may walk away from talks with the Championship side if the row over his transfer fee goes to a tribunal.

Who could leave

More offers could come in for Evans, but after his splendid campaign last term West Brom would be wise to keep turning them away. At the other end of the scale, the club are struggling to find anyone ready to take Callum McManaman off their hands after his 18-month exile from the first-team.

What the manager has said

"It's difficult getting them [new signings] in the door early cos you have to negotiate deals and prices and everything else but we'll do our best,2 said Pulis. "The most important thing is to target the players we really want and be very clever in what we do and how we do it because we haven't got the finances other clubs have. But we need players in and that is the bottom line, we need to be bringing a few in."