Ahmed Hegazi, Jonny Evans, Nacer Chadli and Salomon Rondon all had release clauses written into their contracts, leaving the Baggies vulnerable to interested clubs willing to stump up the cash.

It allowed Evans to be snapped up by Leicester City at the start of the summer for just £3.5m, less than a year after the Baggies had rejected a £21m bid from the Foxes for the defender.

However, Hegazi’s £10m release clause, Rondon’s £16.5m release clause, and Chadli’s £17m release clause have now all timed out.

This has strengthened Albion’s position in the transfer market because it puts control over their players’ futures firmly back in their hands.

Newcastle have held a long-standing interest in Rondon this summer, but never expressed any willingness to activate his release clause and have instead been attempting to take the Venezuelan on loan.

Albion are only willing to part with the striker on loan if Dwight Gayle comes the other way but they are not willing to match Gayle’s Premier League wages and talks have stalled.