Tony Mowbray provides fresh Josh Maja update as key West Brom defender passed fit

 Maja has been sidelined since early January with what was described as a lower leg injury and he is now unlikely to return until after the regular action.

Mowbray's men, in sixth, face a battle to make the play-offs with eight fixtures of the Championship campaign remaining, beginning at Norwich on Saturday.

While Maja is racing to be back for play-off action - should his side book their ticket - Albion have better news in the form of left-back Callum Styles, who is back in training after a calf strain.

Mowbray said of Maja: "I saw Maja on Tuesday, happy, nice and smiley but still feels as if he is a little bit away but hopefully if we can extend the season he might have a part to play.

"I’m sure it has been tough. He’s been in a brace thing on his left most of the time I’ve been here.

"When I bump into him in the corridor and ask how he is, he’s pretty positive. I think he’s looking forward to getting back and showing us what he can do.

"I know his talent. We obviously would like more goals in our team and Maja would probably bring that. A totally different type of footballer from (Adam) Armstrong of course but a combination that could really work.

"We’ve got a lot of talented boys, it’s just getting the right balance on the right day. You’d have to say Maja is a miss to the football club with his goals that he obviously could bring and has brought already the first half of the season." 

Maja last played on January 4 before his injury and subsequent surgery was confirmed.

The frustration is familiar for the frontman, who twice missed out through lengthy ankle setbacks last season - his debut campaign for the club.

The hope last season was Maja would return for the play-off semi-final against Southampton, but the Nigerian did not play a minute against the Saints.

Styles, meanwhile, was ruled out of international action for Hungary due to the muscle problem but returned to training on Thursday.

"We are tip-toeing him in," Mowbray said of Styles. "He hasn't been doing any physical work or too much of the bigger area stuff where he has got to do a lot of running. I would be hopeful he will be available."

Albion's other long-term injury victims have stepped up their recovery with some light training with club fitness staff.

Captain Jed Wallace (calf) has been out for more than a month with a similar story for defender Semi Ajayi (hamstring). Mowbray confirmed the duo have made progress and are back doing light training with the club's medical department.

Winter transfer window recruit Tammer Bany, the Danish attacking midfielder, is available again after a minor groin setback.

Right-back Darnell Furlong serves the final of a three-match suspension.