West Brom state of play for summer ahead as transfer window opens

That remains owners Bilkul's priority until pen is put to paper following a six-week search for Tony Mowbray's successor.

But, somewhat in the background, the summer transfer window opened on Sunday allowing clubs to get their business under way early and well in advance of the 2025/26 campaign.

The window runs until 7pm on June 10, ahead of the newly-designed Club World Cup, and then re-opens on June 16 until September 1 for the main window.

While the head coach appointment will undoubtedly help set things in motion on the recruitment front, Albion's strategy under Bilkul's board is for recruitment to largely fall under the hierarchy's umbrella and those within particular positions.

Sporting director Andrew Nestor leads the way on footballing matters. He joined the club upon Shilen Patel's takeover in February 2024 and has since taken on the sporting director title after a brief spell in an interim role.

Underneath Nestor is director of football operations Ian Pearce, whose time at The Hawthorns pre-dates Bilkul's involvement and goes back to November 2018. Former defender Pearce, whose title was previously head of recruitment, oversees the scouting and recruitment operations at the club.

It is expected to be a busy and significant summer when it comes to the Baggies' recruitment drive. Nestor said earlier this year the owners are two-thirds into their squad rebuild at The Hawthorns, meaning this summer should complete its full make-up, while operating under a desired new head coach project after the failed reunion with Tony Mowbray.

The end of the season brought three senior departures from The Hawthorns - a relatively low number but some significant exits given high earners departed the club.

John Swift and Grady Diangana had failed to bring any sort of consistent quality to the side and Semi Ajayi - who the Express & Star revealed Albion tried to keep on lesser terms - was also a relatively big earner.

It should help free up the coffers, to an extent, for the club to act and freshen up the ranks.

As mentioned, Bilkul already started that process when it came to purchases last summer, with the likes of Torbjorn Heggem, Mikey Johnston and Callum Styles. They were continued in January with Isaac Price and Tammer Bany. The outlays on those five show that, while the club must work smart to remain compliant with financial fair play regulations, there is room to manoeuvre to strengthen the squad.

All loan players returned to parent clubs - and loans absolutely must be improved on in when it comes to recruitment for next season. Only Johnston, in his initial stint from Celtic, has been a real success in recent years. For clubs, like Albion, forced to work smartly and without the benefit of parachute payments, they must be better.

More exits are expected this summer. There are assets within the club, such as Heggem, Tom Fellows, Josh Maja and others who most would rather see remain key players within the squad but the likelihood is, should offers come forward at a suitable scale, they will be considered.

Albion will be less keen to keep hold of others. There are some players whose stays at The Hawthorns have been lengthy and could do with freshening up. Club captain Jed Wallace has previously been linked with a move away and has struggled for game time. Others of a similar age including Kyle Bartley, Darnell Furlong and Alex Mowatt may wonder if their Baggies careers have more chapters to run.

There are others in the squad for whom it has not worked. Devante Cole and Gianluca Frabotta are obvious examples. They were relatively cheap pick-ups last summer but have barely been seen. Both remain under contract so, like Wallace, a deal must work for all parties to move them on.

But, naturally, the Baggies hierarchy will not stand in the way of those type of deals.

There are also players - Maja, Daryl Dike, Karlan Grant and others - who enter the final year of their contracts. That does not mean immediate action in the form of a sale, but discussions will be ongoing about whether the club see scope in potential new deals in the coming months.

Albion's first-team squad currently consists of 18 outfield players - counting those considered of genuine Championship reckoning. That does not include the inevitable departures the club will try to bank cash or free up salaries from.

The squad is short in the heart of defence with Heggem, an ageing Bartley and the youthfulness of Caleb Taylor. At least one centre-back will be a target.

Elsewhere in defence and the full-back positions beyond Furlong and Styles are effectively empty and need stocking for competition and depth.

Midfield is relatively well-stocked assuming no exits, though the wide areas could require surgery if, as expected, a tempting bid comes in for academy graduate and Championship assist king Fellows, with the futures of Wallace and Grant uncertain.

A clear problem area is at the top end of the pitch where Maja and Dike enter their final 12 months. Both have suffered injury issues but proven they can find the net. Maja and Dike are different cases but offers for either could tempt.

Albion will be aware, though, that aside from the barely-used Cole they are totally light up front. It is an area to focus on this summer to put this squad back in play-off contention.