Baggies keen on former Chelsea man.
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West Bromwich Albion have stepped up their chase for Lille, and former Chelsea, winger Saloman Kalou, amid interest from Premier League rivals West Ham United – who are also desperate to add to their top ten finish last season according to the Birmingham Mail.
Baggies boss Steve Clarke has claimed he needs four new players, which he expects to arrive in the coming weeks before the transfer window closes.
“Between now and the end of the transfer window [if noone went out] we’d need another four players to add to the squad,” Clarke claimed.
There have already been two new arrivals at The Hawthorns this summer as former Real Madrid star Nicolas Anelka joined up with loan signing Goran Popov.
It is believed Clarke also wishes to bring Zoltan Gera to the club permanently, after the player has been allowed to train with his first team squad.
Following their eighth placed finish last season, it is believed Ivory Coast international Kalou has caught the eye of the Baggies scouts, who has a release clause of just £2.6million.
It is thought West Ham are also interested in signing the 27 year-old but they are currently pursuing other options – reported to be Loic Remy despite the two owners distancing themselves from those claims regularly.
Clarke hopes the prospect of Nicolas Anelka and their top half finish last season will be enough to persuade Kalou to join the regime.
“The performance of the team last season is the biggest hook, we finished in the top eight of the Premier League,” Clarke told reporters.
“When you’re chasing players you’re always making enquiries, always speaking to people, it would be wrong for us to mention names or comment on names. We are pursuing a number of targets.”
“Trust me, you have to be really patient.”