The Baggies are keen to keep a close eye on the purse strings and feel short-term deals will provide the best value for money. They already have Ben Foster tied down on a season-long agreement, meaning they only have room for one more domestic loanee. Those restrictions do not apply in the international market, though, and Roy Hodgson will be given the freedom to cast his net far and wide in search of fresh faces should he wish to strengthen. "It is well documented that we mainly look at the loan market in January," Ashworth told the club's official website. "There is a feeling within the club that January is not a particularly 'good value' market. Because the period is so short, it's more of a sellers' market than a buyers' market. "You do, for example, get people running into the last six months of their contract, so we never say never. "But, historically in January, we have tended to do loans, loans with options to buy or sign people coming up to the end of their contracts. "Every window gives you an opportunity to strengthen and improve, be it in the short term or long term, and we will perhaps do one or two bits of tinkering in January."
