West On Early Transfer Preparation For “Striker” Wagging £10 million

Daryl Dike’s lack of availability for West Brom is a frustration

Carlton Palmer believes Carlos Corberan should be asking the West Brom hierarchy for a striker in January after another setback regarding Daryl Dike’s fitness.

West Brom opted to acquire Dike’s services from MLS outfit Orlando City for a hefty sum in excess of £7 million on New Year’s Day in 2022. There was hope that the striker would eventually be the man to help fire the Baggies back to the Premier League, but persistent injuries have hampered his chances.

West Brom’s profligacy in front of goal has been glaring under Corberan in recent weeks, and Dike’s absence only deepens the problem. When fit, Dike is a proven Championship goalscorer, as shown during his spell at Barnsley, where he netted nine goals in 19 appearances and helped drive their unlikely play-off push.

His ability to find the net consistently is something West Brom desperately miss outside of Josh Maja. Their struggles to convert chances into goals have been evident, and the Baggies have looked blunt in attack at a crucial time in the season of late, which Dike could help to remedy.

Albion took the chance on the USMNT international after he was a key figure in aiding Barnsley’s surprise run to the second tier play-off semi-finals in the 2020/21 campaign under Valerien Ismael. But Dike has played so little football since joining the club.

Injuries have plagued Dike’s spell at The Hawthorns right from the very off, having suffered a hamstring injury in a 3-0 victory over Peterborough United in January 2022, which was only his second appearance and start for the club. Dike managed to return last season but was reduced to tears at Portman Road after he was stretchered off in the second half of a 2-2 draw with eventual promotion winners, Ipswich Town – the last of his 32 appearances for the club thus far.

Corberan has since told the club’s media that Dike will now return after Christmas. There had been hopes that he’d be back before Christmas. The new muscle injury means it will be later than planned. Ex-England international and EFL pundit Carlton Palmer believes it is time for West Brom to find another solution given his lack of availability.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, he said: “Disappointing news coming out of the Hawthorns and for West Bromwich Albion.

“They have mostly had a terrific start to the campaign so far under Carlos Corberan, but Daryl Dike has suffered another setback in his return to action.

“That’s after returning to first-team training just under a month ago after being out for eight months. The 24-year-old has had pain in his hamstring this week, which Corberan has revealed.

“Dike suffered an achilles tear in February this year, and he has had a frustrating many years.

“He’s been limited to just 32 appearances for West Brom since joining in 2021/22. This is really disappointing.

“It’s unfortunate for Dike that he just hasn’t been able to get a sustained run in the side.

“We have seen that he is a complete handful and it is a worry. The manager is saying that it’s a small setback that they need to manage well, and is saying it is a normal part of the process when you are coming back from such an injury.

“You will pick up little niggles and strains, but it is a problem for him. He’s just injury prone.

“The problem is, Corberan is looking to get the side back to the Premier League, and now he’s got to go to his bosses and say, ‘listen, I need to get a striker in. I can’t rely on Dike to be fit. When he does come back, he’s picking up injuries. I need a striker that can score goals’.

“We know Dike is strong, prolific, and he runs opposition defences, but he is just not fit.

“He’s not fit for long enough, and it’s a problem for West Brom; they need a striker who is available and can score goals.

Dike’s persistent injuries have been a major blow for West Brom, especially given the attacking issues they’ve faced under Corberan recently. The Baggies have struggled for goals, with their output alarmingly falling off a cliff in recent weeks, and Dike’s absence only exacerbates the problem.

As a powerful and imposing centre-forward, Dike offers a dynamic presence in the final third. His ability to bully defenders, hold the ball up, and bring teammates into play makes him a key outlet for West Brom. Beyond his physicality, Dike has previously proven that he is capable of scoring goals with a run of games behind him at Barnsley.

His intelligent movement and finishing instincts in and around the box, as well as his ability to act as a focal point, could be of huge benefit with Maja or as a target man for other attacking players to utilise as a platform. While Maja has stepped up well, he does not offer the same level of all-around threat that Dike provides.