Daryl Dike ‘thrilled’ by West Brom boss Steve Bruce rehab offer
American international striker Daryl Dike has suffered nothing but injuries since he arrived at West Brom in January for £9million from Orlando City.
The 21-year-old has been ruled out for the season now having played only occasional minutes under both Valerien Ismael and Steve Bruce so far during his time at The Hawthorns.
He is set to continue his rehabilitation in the Midlands during the off-season despite an offer from Bruce to head back to the States and see his family while he gets back to fitness.
“I’m always smiling, I’m always joking around,” Dike said in an interview with The Athletic. “I think after I found out that I’d (be out) for a little bit longer, I think it was kind of visible that I was a little bit upset, maybe not as loud as normal,”
“Steve kind of gave me the option, you know: ‘I think it’d be good for you in terms of going home, seeing your family. If you let us know where you are with your recovery, we’ll still send you your rehab and everything and stuff like that.’ I was thrilled about that, in terms of him truly thinking about me.
“I just felt that staying here and getting my body right and making sure that no matter what, rather than going home and maybe enjoying myself over there, just getting healthy was my number one priority,”
Be patient
It would be very easy to get frustrated at having such a big expenditure unable to make a proper contribution to the team so far but it will come in time.
Getting to match fitness after two months off at the end of the MLS season was going to be the challenge anyway in January and his first start against Peterborough United ended very prematurely.
But if we know anything about Dike, it’s that he does not give in easily and these setbacks will only spur him on to return bigger and better than ever.
The Baggies side could look very different when he returns next season with Bruce hoping for a rather large budget to work with but the current crop of strikers, including Karlan Grant, Callum Robinson and Andy Carroll, could be brilliant partners for the American.
Dike is the perfect blend of pace, power and precision and when he is fit and firing, he will be Albion’s best player by some distance.
In other West Brom news, Carlton Plamer has been raving about this Baggies ace and thinks he deserves a new deal at The Hawthorns.
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