Exclusive: Josh Maja and Devante Cole told to help fix West Brom's "weak area" by Lee Hendrie | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie has given his view on which West Brom players we should keep an eye out for next season.

Pundit Lee Hendrie believes strikers Josh Maja and Devante Cole could be two players to watch for West Bromwich Albion next season.

After making a strong start to last season, West Brom were dealt a huge blow when head coach Carlos Corberan departed for Valencia in December, and the return of Tony Mowbray the following month did not have the desired effect, with the 61-year-old winning just five of his 17 games in charge before being sacked in April after his side's play-off hopes were ended.

The Baggies finished in a disappointing ninth place in the Championship last term, with coach James Morrison taking caretaker charge for the final two games after Mowbray's exit, but they will be hoping to launch a more consistent promotion challenge next season under new head coach Ryan Mason.

Mason has been given strong backing in the transfer market this summer by owner Shilen Patel, with Nat Phillips arriving from Liverpool for a fee of £3 million and fellow defender George Campbell making a £1.5 million move from Montreal, while Albion have also signed striker Aune Heggebo from Brann for €5.5 million (£4.75 million).

However, in addition to the new arrivals, West Brom have also been boosted by the return of Maja, who scored 12 goals and provided two assists in 26 appearances last season before picking up a lower leg injury in January that kept him out for the entire second half of the campaign.

Cole will also be hoping that a better season will be ahead after a frustrating first year at The Hawthorns following his move from Barnsley last summer, during which he failed to score in 16 games, with just one of those appearances coming from the start in the EFL Cup.

Lee Hendrie backs Josh Maja and Devante Cole to deliver for West Brom next season

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie revealed that he expects Maja to have a big season for West Brom in the upcoming campaign, while he also claimed that Cole could be a useful option for the Baggies if given an opportunity by Mason.

"I think we will see what Josh Maja is about," Hendrie said.

"After the goals he contributed before he got injured, I think he will have a big season and a big say in what West Brom do.

"With Devante Cole as well, I do feel that West Brom need to start getting the best out of him.

"The forward line has been a weak area for West Brom that they have struggled with, but if those two can really step up, it might be the difference this coming season."

West Brom will have lingering Josh Maja fear after recent injury frustration

Maja proved in the first half of last season that he can be a clinical goalscorer at Championship level, but his time at The Hawthorns has been severely disrupted by injury so far.

While there are question marks over whether Maja can stay fit, there is no doubt that he could be a real asset for West Brom next season if they can keep him out of the treatment room, although some of the goalscoring burden on the 26-year-old may be lifted after the big-money arrival of Heggebo.

However, while Maja will likely be a key part of Mason's plans in the year ahead, it has been claimed that Cole is set to leave Albion this summer, which could be the right move for all parties given that he has been unable to make an impact at the club.