Striker quest is Poyet's toughest challenge (From The Argus)

Striker quest is Poyet's toughest challenge

5:01pm Thursday 19th July 2012 in Albion By Brian Owen

Gus Poyet has admitted finding a new striker is his toughest challenge of the summer.

Albion are still looking for a frontman after boss Poyet was priced out of an audacious bid to take Uruguayan compatriot Sebastian Ribas from Genoa on a hire-to-buy deal.

The powerfully built 24-year-old has gone on loan to French second tier outfit Monaco, who are backed by a Russian billionaire and coached by Claudio Ranieri, on a tax-free salary.

Poyet remains keen to add a frontman with physical presence but admitted: “That is the most difficult one.

“We can get a midfielder any time. I don’t mean in the next two days but there are more options for a midfielder and the financial side is easier as well.

“But the striker is a tough one to get.”

Poyet played for Uruguay alongside Ribas’s father Julio Cesar and is a long time admirer of the striker.

Sources in France claimed Albion bid one million Euros for the player, who failed to make an impact at Genoa or on loan in Lisbon at Sporting last term after his goals fired Dijon to promotion in France in 2010-11.

He said: “We couldn’t pay the money he is on at Genoa.

“We were trying to do a deal that would suit our finances and with someone helping in his salary but it was not possible.

“The idea in the beginning was a loan with an option to buy but there was no chance.

“I liked the prospect of him getting into English football, which I think would suit him very well, and the future he has ahead of him but you need to agree, especially with a player under contract, and we were really far away.”