West Brom have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon's Matheus Pereira following a new development in the proposed transfer, report the Express & Star.

The Baggies had been interested in taking the winger on loan, but that deal could break down as the Portuguese club want to insert an obligatory clause which will make the deal permanent for £9m.

It is a risky move for the club to agree to, as if they remain in the Championship their budget will likely be reduced - parachute payments fall to £15m which doesn't allow much room to manoeuvre.

That is why they have been keen on a loan deal with an option to buy, as they would be able to make the deal permanent upon promotion if they wished to do so.

However, it could be a gamble worth taking. Slaven Bilic is believed to be a big fan of the 23-year-old, and he certainly made a big impression in his last loan spell, having won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year as a result of his performances on loan at Nuremberg last season.

The Verdict

This is no doubt a setback for West Brom, but one they could still overcome as the deal is not yet dead and therefore negotiations could still work out in their favour.

Pereria is an exciting talent and he would add flair and skill to the squad, which it currently lacks in its wing options. Rivals Leeds and Fulham have spent big on wingers like Helder Costa and Anthony Knockaert, and if The Baggies are ambitious to gain promotion then they may have to do so too.

Bilic deserves to be supported in the transfer market, particularly as West Brom have lost key players this summer. Pereira would help the team a great deal and given his potential he would be worth the £9m outlay.