Carlos Corberan confirms Kyle Bartley set for scan as West Brom injury news drops
Carlos Corberan has revealed that West Brom centre-back Kyle Bartley is set for another scan on a tight muscle as he continues his rehab from a lengthy injury layoff.
The 31-year-old returned to action for the Baggies Under-21s at the end of January after a muscle problem in his leg kept him out of first-team action for two and a half months.
As such, Bartley has not featured for Corberan’s side since before the World Cup break, and the manager confirmed to Birmingham Live that the defender would take a precautionary scan on a tight muscle he had felt in training.
He said: “It’s true that in the last training we did, Bartley felt a little bit tight in the muscle, and we have sent him to have a scan.
“Not because it’s an injury, but we need to know that the muscle is in 100% condition. Like I told you with his injury, we need to be calm, manage it well.
“Sometimes when the player puts too much stress on himself to be ready, it can create some problems. That’s why it’s better to manage well. We need to know from the scan the confirmation that everything is fine and that we can keep on with the process that we are doing with him.”
Tough break
Whenever it seems like Bartley is set to return to first-team action, he hits an untimely issue which puts him back on the Hawthorns medical table.
This doesn’t sound like the most worrying injury, but considering his recent misfortune, it could end up being far worse than first thought. Bartley’s stint on the sideline does raise the question of his worth to West Brom, however.
With Erik Pieters taking to the centre-back role like a duck to water and Dara O’Shea continuing to shine under Corberan, the Englishman would be unlikely to feature even if he was fit. The Baggies also have Semi Ajayi to call upon from the bench, so Bartley would most likely be fourth in the pecking order under Corberan.
At 31 years of age, and considering the alternative options West Brom possess, a move elsewhere in the summer transfer window could be best for both parties.
In other West Brom news, the manager has been warned that he could be judged very harshly if his decision turns out badly.