West Brom's cash-strapped Chinese owners delay Allardyce's move to finalise Musa deal

WEST Bromwich Albion (WBA) manager Sam Allardyce is being frustrated in his attempts to get Super Eagles skipper Ahmed Musa to help save the club from relegation this season as the team's owners are struggling to find him the cash with which to conclude a deal.

Last week, Musa arrived in the UK and passed an in-depth fitness test conducted by the WBA sports science and performance team at in Walsall, paving the way for him to thrash out a deal with the club. Tony Harris, Musa's agent, proposed a short-term deal with the possibility of extension at the end of the 2020/21 season.

Although Musa has been inactive for club and country since November 17, 2020, he is in tip-top condition because he does not smoke, drink or party in clubs and was training on his own in Nigeria before leaving. With Mr Allardyce happy with the player's shape, both sides were set to pen a deal that would enable Musa feature for the rest of the season and help WBA beat the drop.

However, WBA's Chinese owners have stretched their budget to the limit in the January window and are now struggling to release more funds to sign Musa. During the recent transfer window,  Albion brought in Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Arsenal, Okay Yukuslu from Celta Vigo, Mbaye Diagne from Galatasaray, alongside free agents Robert Snodgrass and Andy Lonergan.

One possible lifeline could come if West Brom winger Kamil Grosicki completes a move back to Poland with Legia Warsaw. Grosicki, 32, is out of contract in the summer and Legia would like to sign him now with their window open until February 24.

Legia have asked about a loan though Albion would prefer a permanent transfer and if that proceeds, it would free up some cash. With WBA still unable to find the money for now, Musa may yet pursue other options with the likes of Burnley, Southampton, Brighton or CSKA Moscow all understood to be interested in the winger.