New boss Sam Allardyce is tasked with keeping Albion afloat this season, and the January transfer window will go a long way in helping him to achieve that aim.

If Allardyce’s managerial history is anything to go by, he often tends to set up his teams in a robust manner, focusing primarily on defending rather than attacking.

This could suggest that his main transfer targets will be players who can shore up West Brom’s leaky backline, but with a lack of options up top, he may want to look for either an alternative to Karlan Grant, or a player who can work alongside him.

With Conor Gallagher on loan at the club from Chelsea, that leaves just one space left to loan a player from another Premier League club; therefore, if there is more than one loan option in this list, only one can be chosen by Allardyce.

#5 James Tomkins (Daily Mail)

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Tomkins is a 31-year-old centre-back who currently plays for Crystal Palace. He was a mainstay in the Eagles’ backline for a number of years but has recently fallen down the pecking order at Selhurst Park, so could very well be tempted to move elsewhere next month.

Sam Allardyce worked with Tomkins as a manager at Crystal Palace and West Ham, and is an open admirer.

Tomkins would bring solid experience to an Albion defence which has been revamped with younger players in recent times.

He could also carry out the same tasks that Branislav Ivanovic does at the moment: bark orders at his fellow defenders, instruct them to keep the shape, and use his experience to quickly solve any issues that arise at the back.

Tomkins’ deal at Crystal Palace is set to expire at the end of next season, so they might feel inclined to accept an offer now, rather than risk letting him go for free when his contract runs out.

#4 Andy Carroll (The Mirror, via The Sun)

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Another player on this list whose contract is due to run out at the end of the season, Andy Carroll has had a difficult time with Newcastle since joining for free from West Ham in the summer of 2019.

The former England international is now 31 years old and has failed to score in 30 games in all competitions for the Magpies.

Allardyce managed a young Carroll during his spell at Newcastle in the 2007-08 season, when the forward was a mere hot prospect.

Although Carroll’s contract is up in six months time, Albion are rumoured to be preparing a small upfront bid to sign the striker next month, rather than wait until the end of the season, as the Baggies will certainly need all the firepower they can get up top if they want to avoid the drop.

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