Things looking up for Laudrup

West Brom 0 Swansea 2

Goals from left-back Ben Davies and the influential Pablo Hernandez made up for back-to-back defeats, albeit to Manchester United and Tottenham, to get the Swans’ season up and running.

That sends Laudrup into the international break with a smile on his face and by the time Swansea play again, at home to Liverpool on September 16, he hopes to have another option up front.

He said: “I’ve been asked about a lot of players and I’ve always said we want one more striker with different characteristics to Wilfried Bony and Michu,” he said.

“We’ve had five, six, seven players linked and one will join, but not more than one.

“We have to go into the last day [of the window] having not done everything which is not ideal because it will be a crazy day, but hopefully we’ll finish in time. I don’t want to go into details but let’s say we hope to finish it as quickly as possible.”

Laudrup was delighted with three points in the bank, admitting that his side’s tough opening fixtures had placed real significance on the result here.

“We knew it was important for us to get something out of this game,” he said.

West Brom manager Steve Clarke included Nicolas Anelka in his starting 11 less than a fortnight after reports emerged suggesting the French striker was set to retire from the sport.

The club denied he had ever decided to quit but did grant him compassionate leave following the death of his agent.

Like Laudrup, Clarke is hoping to add attacking players on deadline day — with his need particularly pressing given his side’s failure to score a league goal so far.

“I hope there will be some good news for the supporters, we all need good news... even I need some good news.”

WEST BROM: Myhill, Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell, Morrison (Dorrans 46), Yacob (Rosenberg 75), Mulumbu, Sinclair (Berahino 75), Anelka, Long.

SWANSEA: Vorm, Rangel, Chico, Williams, Ben Davies, Shelvey, Canas, Hernandez, Michu, Routledge (Pozuelo 71), Bony (de Guzman 67).

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).