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Slaven Bilic raises pressure on West Brom to complete Filip Krovinovic loan return

Filip Krovinovic of West Bromwich Albion celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-1 during the Sky Bet Championship match between Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion - Adam Fradgley - AMA/WBA FC via Getty Images
Filip Krovinovic of West Bromwich Albion celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-1 during the Sky Bet Championship match between Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion - Adam Fradgley - AMA/WBA FC via Getty Images

Slaven Bilic has turned up the pressure on West Brom’s board to re-sign Filip Krovinovic, admitting he will be “extremely disappointed” if a deal is not completed.

Bilic is desperate to take the Benfica midfielder on loan for a second season but Albion are struggling to reach an agreement due to their meagre budget.

Conor Gallagher, the Chelsea midfielder, has agreed to sign on loan for the season after signing a new five-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Krovinovic, a former Croatia Under-21 international, is a priority signing for Bilic, after starting 24 matches last season to help steer the club back into the Premier League.

Benfica are demanding a loan fee of around £1.5 million and negotiations are proving difficult, leaving Bilic frustrated.

“I will be extremely disappointed if it doesn’t happen. I don’t even want to think about it [not happening],” he said.

“Every day when I walk into the training ground I ask about him. Why? Because last year he played a lot of games for us. He was brilliant on the pitch. You can be versatile with him on the pitch, you can change systems without changing the players.

“Everybody loves him. He makes every player around him better, he is one of those unsung heroes.

“That is why every day I ask: ‘Has he come? Is it [the situation] improving?’ What is the hold-up? The budget - we have to find some money for a loan or whatever.

“I would be very, very disappointed if he doesn’t come back.”

Bilic is also determined to sign another striker before the transfer window closes, with Huddersfield’s Karlan Grant his No1 target.

Albion have already spent around £20m of their £25m budget, however, which does not leave last season’s Championship runners-up with much room to manoeuvre.

“We would love to sign a striker and it is important to bring someone in who is different to the other strikers that we have at the club,” said Bilic.

“We are trying to get it done but it is not easy. It’s not a secret - we have good numbers of strikers, but we’re looking to add a bit more quality.”

Albion face Everton away this weekend, after losing their opening league game 3-0 against Leicester.