Frustrated Bilic wants signings

SLAVEN BILIC is growing increasingly frustrated at West Brom’s lack of activity in the transfer market, with the Premier League season barely three weeks away. The Croat led Albion to promotion in his first year in charge but the club are expected to have little room for manoeuvre during the summer window. It is thought the transfer budget is about £25million, plus whatever can be generated from player sales. Albion have already clinched a permanent deal for Matheus Pereira, who cost £9m from Sporting Lisbon after a successful loan spell last term. Bilic would also like to re-sign loanees Filip Krovinovic and Grady Diangana. But midfielder Krovinovic is thought to be available only on a second loan deal from Benfica — rather than permanently — and winger Diangana is under contract for five more years at West Ham and has also attracted interest from Southampton and Fulham — with the 22-year-old rated as worth at least £15m. ‘We don’t have that much money yet,’ Bilic (below) was quoted as saying in a recent interview with Croatian outlet Index. ‘I expected we would have more. I told the owners that we had done a hard job but also that we had to do something now.’ Diangana was a key man for West Brom last season, scoring eight goals and providing six assists even though injuries restricted him to only 23 starts in the Championship. That contribution will be tough to replace if he cannot be brought back. Although Bilic knew that a spending spree would not be possible, he had hoped for more funds to sign a goalkeeper and a centre forward of proven quality. He is thought to have identified Brentford forward Ollie Watkins as a top target yet the 24-year-old is valued at £25m. As things stand, West Brom could enter the new season with a similar squad to that which won promotion — minus Diangana and Krovinovic. Bilic signed a two-year contract at the Hawthorns when he took over last summer and was excited by the challenge of leading Albion back to the top flight — and keeping them up there.