West Brom: Exciting Daryl Dike update emerges | OneFootball

West Brom boss Carlos Corberan has revealed that Daryl Dike could return to action for the side before the end of the year.

Daryl Dike nears West Brom return

The USA international joined the Baggies in January 2022, in a big deal for the club. However, he has struggled to make his mark on the team due to injury.

He would suffer a hamstring issue within the first few weeks of joining, and back in April, Dike ruptured his Achilles, which meant around eight months out.

Yet, he has been training in recent weeks as he prepares for his return, and Corberan told the Express & Star that there is a real chance he can be involved over the festive period.

“We will see when we can add him to the squad. The faster the better. There are possibilities. If you tell me we can’t have him against Middlesbrough and Norwich either, then I will try my best to have him against Leeds, or if not then Swansea.That is my dream but maybe not the real situation. Day-by-day, so let’s see. If not, it will be January. When? The faster the better.

“Hopefully I can give him minutes before (Aldershot in the FA Cup). If not before, then that day. As soon as he is ready I will give him the minutes because he needs the minutes and the team needs his minutes. It will be win-win. I need to have the medical go-ahead to use him.

“I intend to put pressure on my medical staff because that is part of my job. I’d like to have him ready to help the squad but at the same time I know I need to respect the process of his recovery.

“If you asked, would I like to have him ready for the next four games? I would love to have it. Is it a possibility? They have told me they need to keep evaluating him day-by-day.”

West Brom’s striker situation

This will be very welcome news for Albion, as they are short of options up top, with Josh Maja set for a lengthy spell out after suffering an injury problem of his own in the recent loss at Sunderland.

That has left Brandon Thomas-Asante as the only recognised number nine, so Corberan has been shuffling his pack to try and get the right formula in recent games.

So, having Dike back will be a welcome boost, even if he is sure to be restricted to appearances from the bench at first, as the ex-Barnsley man looks to build his fitness.

Daryl Dike could make the difference in promotion push

Providing he can stay fit, Dike could become a big player for West Brom over the next few months as they look to secure a place in the top six.

At his best, the 23-year-old is a quality operator at this level, as he has the power to lead the line and bring others into play, whilst he has also shown he can score goals.

Of course, there are doubts over whether he will return the same player after another setback, but if Dike does get back to his best, he will be a major asset for Albion as they try to reach the Premier League.