Darren Moore has less than two weeks to train for the new Championship campaign as West Bromwich Albion, who dropped from the top flight last season, will look to climb the pyramid in the first time of asking. They are set to lose a few of their first team starters before the end of the transfer window and the manager is desperate to add some quality to make sure that they can compete for promotion next season.
The Baggies could lose some of their strikers this summer in Jay Rodriguez and Salomon Rondon, both of them are wanted by clubs in the Premier League. So the manager is scouting for forwards from around Europe that can walk into his side next season and the latest name doing the rounds is Viðar Örn Kjartansson.
Born and brought up in Iceland, the 28-year old has previously played in Norway, China, Sweden and Israel top-flight leagues, after starting his senior career in his home country. He broke into the national side in 2014 and already has 18 international caps and is an established star.
A natural finisher, who can score with his feet and his head, Kjartansson is almost impossible to stop in the final third. He loves to make space for himself and shoot but is equally adept at creating chances for his side. His hold up play in the final third and his ability to dribble past opponents make him a real asset in the attack.
He is a centre-forward, who loves to play on the shoulders of the final defender, but he is also effective in counter-attacks, a system that saw him score 42 goals in the last two Israeli top-flight campaigns. He has no previous experience in England but has exposure of the highest order and will certainly make an impact on the Championship.
Reports suggest that QPR and Middlesbrough are also interested in the Iceland striker, who currently plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv, and the Israel outfit value him at around £3.5m, which should not be a problem for West Brom.
Both Rodriguez and Rondon are decent outlets in attack and it will be difficult for Kjartansson to make more of an impact but the 28-year old definitely brings a fresh aura to the squad and is more than capable of producing numbers needed in the Championship.
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His style of play is perfect for the English game and Moore is sure to play to his strengths next season. And at his price, he is a definite asset for the Baggies, even if they lose their star striker this summer.
