West Bromwich Albion have been told they must find £3m if they want to bring striker Obafemi Martins back to English football. West Bromwich Albion have been told they must find £3m if they want to bring striker Obafemi Martins back to English football. The Baggies are reported in Russia to have failed in a loan move to recruit the 27-year-old Nigerian forward from Rubin Kazan. The deal carries strong echoes of the club’s pursuit of Peter Odemwingie two years ago, who Albion also attempted to sign on a loan-first deal before eventually securing a permanent transfer in time to beat the deadline. Martins, last seen in England scoring ‘the easiest goal of my career’ to enable Birmingham City to win the Carling Cup, wants to return after falling out of favour with the Russian club he joined three years ago for 17m euros. But he struggled to settle in Russia and the last year has been particularly difficult for a player after he returned from his loan to Blues with a broken fibia. That was followed by the death of a brother in August 2011 and with his family still residing in England, Martins is keen to find a way back to the Premier League after making just seven Europa League appearances last season. Martins has been the subject of big-money moves in the past, joining Wolfsburg for £9m in 2010 following his three-year stint at Newcastle before his transfer to Rubin Kazan. Albion, who have other European based strikers on their radar in free-agent Markus Rosenburg and Auxerre’s Alain Traore are expected to keep the door open to a move. The Baggies are also being linked with German defender Alexander Madlung, a 6ft 4in Wolfsburg player. Tags: Birmingham City, peter odemwingie, Premier League, west bromwich albion, West Bromwich Albion FC