West Bromwich Albion Football Club are preparing a package deal for Leroy Lita.

Reading are prepared to let the striker leave in the New Year, but they want a fee of around £3million for the former England Under-21 international and the Baggies, frankly, are skint.

However, Tony Mowbray hopes to persuade the Royals to let Lita leave on loan for the rest of the season, and if his side avoid relegation, a fee of £5million will be paid for the permanent transfer.

"If we can find a clinical cutting edge then that will make a difference," Mowbray told the Birmingham Mail. "We need to find someone with the desire, the hunger, the ability to score goals.

"If we do then I think we will have a fighting chance. If we can't find that then we will struggle because we won't score enough goals. There is no money. Who will give you a Premier League striker on loan?"