SAM Allardyce's summer-long search for a striker could soon be over.

The word from the Reebok is that the Wanderers boss is hoping to boost his firepower before the Premiership opener at Old Trafford on Saturday week.

In fact he could deliver three new signings before the curtain goes up on the new season.

Assistant boss Phil Brown did not identify any targets but, speaking on the manager's behalf, he revealed: "Hopefully before the Manchester United game there will be a striker in, possibly an additional two or three players in the squad.

"I'm very hopeful. It's just a case of watching this space."

The desperate need for more potency in attack was graphically illustrated in Wednesday night's scoreless draw with Spanish Cup winners Real Mallorca at the Reebok, where Wanderers created and missed a succession of chances.

Allardyce kept his distance from the players after contracting a stomach bug and, although he would have been encouraged by many aspects of his team's performance, he saw little in the attacking department to raise his spirits.

Brown praised the workrate and movement of Wanderers' two spearhead strikers Henrik Pedersen, who played the first hour, and Kevin Davies, who replaced him for the last third, but admitted: "On the occasions we got through and should have stuck the ball in the net, we failed. But that was the only disappointing thing about the game. The clean sheet was good, the shape of the team was good but the end product just wasn't there."