West Brom centre-back Kyle Bartley is set to undergo another scan on the muscle injury currently keeping him sidelined, according to journalist Joe Chapman.
The Lowdown: Bartley sidelined for Baggies
The Baggies are enjoying a huge resurgence under Carlos Corberan, but someone who has played no part in their recent good form is defensive stalwart Bartley.
The 31-year-old hasn’t appeared for West Brom since the 2-0 victory at home to Stoke City back in November, in which he scored for the second straight fixture, with a muscle injury keeping him out.
Now, a new update suggests that Bartley’s return may still have to wait until later in the season.
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/efl-news/” title=”EFL news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
The Latest: Chapman drops update
Taking to Twitter on Thursday, The Birmingham Mail‘s Chapman said that the centre-back will have another scan to gauge the recovery of his muscle:
“Been to see Carlos today, who was typically upbeat. Albion are looking okay ahead of tomorrow’s game, but Kyle Bartley is set for another scan.”
The Verdict: Need him back ASAP
Admittedly, Bartley hasn’t been a great miss since November, considering West Brom have leaped into sixth place in the Championship, mounting a genuine promotion push.
That being said, the veteran’s eventual return will still be a major positive for Corberan, with his know-how likely to be key during the business end of the season – he was man of the match in his final two games before injury.
He has racked up a total of 209 Championship appearances in his career, and been described as ‘incredible’ by Kevin Campbell in the past, so he will give West Brom a really experienced option at a critical point in the campaign.
Bartley’s current deal expires this summer, at which point it could make sense to move him on, but helping the Baggies return to the Premier League would be a fitting end to his Hawthorns career.
