Albion have confirmed the signing of Portuguese under 21 international Joao Carlos Teixeira on a season-long loan from Liverpool.

The attacking midfielder will link up with his new team-mates tonight at the club’s hotel base in the West Midlands and be available to face Birmingham City tomorrow.

Boss Sami Hyypia has exploited his contacts at Anfield, where he played for ten years, to add a creative edge to his squad.

Hyypia said: "We are delighted to have brought Joao in for the season and we are very grateful to Liverpool. It's something we have been working on for a short time, and I am pleased to be able to welcome Joao to the club.

"The reports I have seen on him are very positive and my former colleagues at Liverpool have told me he is a very bright young prospect who is held in high regard at the club at all levels.

"Joao is an attacking player who likes to be on the ball and do his best work in the final third of the pitch. I hope he will bring that extra edge to the team and our play and give us an extra dimension.

"We still plan to further strengthen the squad ahead of the transfer deadline and there is still some work to do. We have targets, we know the areas we need to strengthen and we are making progress."

Albion chief executive Paul Barber has also reassured fans that work continues to strengthen the squad ahead of the transfer window closing at 11pm on September 1.

Barber said: "Joao is the fifth target we have secured this summer and work continues on our remaining prospects as we move in to the final couple of weeks of the transfer window. Patience is key as we continue to focus on our main targets."