West Bromwich Albion head coach James Morrison has said he remains hopeful of adding to his squad before the transfer window closes, as the Championship club look to build on a positive start to the season.

Window optimism from the Baggies bench

Speaking to BBC Radio WM, Morrison expressed cautious optimism about the club's ability to strengthen their options in the final days of the window. "I am hopeful," he said, without committing to specific targets, which suggests negotiations are at a sensitive stage rather than being cut and dried.

The timing of the interview, recorded on 28 August, places it squarely in the frantic final stretch of the summer window, when Championship clubs are often scrambling to tie up deals that have dragged on for weeks. Morrison's measured language — hopeful rather than confident — is consistent with a manager who knows how quickly late moves can unravel.

West Brom have already been active this summer. The club recently secured Spanish winger Kareem Tunde from Levante, adding pace and creativity to their attacking options. Morrison also addressed Tunde's arrival directly in the BBC Radio WM conversation, suggesting the new signing is already integrated into the squad's thinking ahead of upcoming fixtures.

Separately, the club allowed midfielder Krystian Bielik to join Cardiff City on a permanent basis earlier in the window, so Morrison will be aware that the squad still carries areas that could benefit from reinforcement before the window shuts.

A return to the Riverside holds extra meaning

Beyond transfer talk, Morrison also touched on the prospect of visiting Middlesbrough, which he described as a return to his boyhood club. The Scottish midfielder-turned-manager grew up on Teesside before his playing career took him to The Hawthorns and beyond, so a trip to the Riverside Stadium carries obvious personal significance.

That sentimental dimension aside, the fixture itself is a genuinely compelling Championship contest. Middlesbrough, having added Sam Byram on a free transfer during the summer, are building their own squad with ambitions of pushing into the upper half of the table. A meeting between two sides with genuine aspirations in the second tier carries weight well beyond any nostalgic angle Morrison might bring to it personally.

For West Brom, the fixture offers a chance to test themselves away from The Hawthorns against a well-organised and physically competitive side. Morrison will know the demands of that ground better than most, and that familiarity could cut both ways: added motivation, perhaps, but also a clear-eyed understanding of just how difficult a venue it can be.

Deadline day focus sharpens

What the interview underlines is that Morrison is juggling two significant demands simultaneously: preparing his squad for one of the more emotionally loaded away days of his managerial career, while also working with the club's recruitment team to identify whether any final additions are reachable before the window closes.

Championship squads are rarely complete by early August. The late summer window has a habit of producing the sort of experienced loan signings or lower-cost permanents that can quietly change the shape of a promotion challenge. Whether West Brom can land one or two of those before deadline day remains, in Morrison's own words, a matter of hope rather than certainty.

Supporters will be watching both the transfer wires and the Middlesbrough fixture closely in the coming days.

Frequently asked

What has James Morrison said about West Brom's transfer plans?
Speaking to BBC Radio WM, Morrison said he is hopeful of adding players to the West Brom squad before the summer transfer deadline, though he stopped short of confirming specific targets.
Why is the Middlesbrough vs West Brom fixture personally significant for Morrison?
James Morrison grew up on Teesside and considers Middlesbrough his boyhood club, making a managerial visit to the Riverside Stadium a particularly meaningful occasion for him.
Who has West Brom signed this summer?
West Brom have signed Spanish winger Kareem Tunde from Levante and also allowed Krystian Bielik to join Cardiff City on a permanent deal, with Morrison indicating he is hopeful of further additions before the window closes.