Daryl Dike: West Bromwich Albion striker close to return after eight months out injured
- Published
The imminent return of Daryl Dike (left) can help offset the loss of Brandon Thomas-Asante (right)
Daryl Dike is training with West Bromwich Albion's first-team squad and close to returning after eight months out with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Albion head coach Carlos Corberan said the 23-year-old USA striker is in full training for the first time since sustaining the injury in April.
"We need to be careful with him. At the same time we need to push him to help the team," Corberan told BBC Radio WM.
Dike can offset the loss of strikers Josh Maja and Brandon Thomas-Asante.
Maja has been ruled out for months with a fractured ankle, while Thomas-Asante has been selected in a provisional 55-man Ghana squad for next month's Africa Cup of Nations.
Albion top scorer Thomas-Asante has netted 16 times since becoming then boss Steve Bruce's final signing in last season's August transfer window, from Salford City.
He qualifies for Ghana through his father - and could join two other Albion players for next month's tournament in the Ivory Coast.
Brandon Thomas-Asante is Albion's seven-goal top scorer this season
Winger Grady Diangana is likely to be called up by DR Congo, while defender Semi Ajayi is expected to be in the Nigeria squad.
"It's a challenge because we are going to lose some of the players," said Corberan. "To lose players in the middle of the competition never is positive.
"But I am always pleased when they go with the national teams. It is because they are doing good things with the club."
The injury-ravaged Dike has managed just 27 games since being signed by Valerien Ismael for Albion in January 2022.
A hamstring injury picked up on his full debut against Peterborough kept him out for six months, and a thigh problem just one game into his return led to another three-month absence.
He missed out on the USA World Cup squad as a consequence but, after regaining fitness in November, he scored seven goals in 22 league games for the newly arrived Corberan. But he was stretchered off just before the hour mark in the late-season win at Stoke.
"He is a player that the squad needs," said Corberan, who has Dike back a month ahead of schedule.
"We need to replace Maja - we need to have this possibility. But at the same time we have to have some patience."
Albion start their busy schedule of four games in 10 days over the festive period with a trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday, followed by a home game against Norwich City on Boxing Day, a night home game with Leeds United on Friday, 29 December and a New Year's Day trip to Swansea.
Carlos Corberan was talking to BBC Radio WM's Steve Hermon
Daryl Dike has played just 27 games since joining West Bromwich Albion in January 2022
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