Gareth Barry reports for pre-season after exercising one-year extension to West Brom contract
Gareth Barry has exercised the optional one-year extension in his Albion contract and has today reported for the first day of pre-season.
There was uncertainty over the 37-year-old’s future at the club following a controversial end to the last campaign.
Barry was one of four senior players who allegedly stole a taxi in Barcelona and was then pictured in a Birmingham nightclub on the eve of a home match with Burnley, although he was unavailable through injury at the time.
Because he featured more than 25 times for the Baggies last season he was entitled to an optional one-year extension to his contract, but the midfielder had been weighing up whether to enact the deal or not.
Days after the incident in Barcelona, Barry was booed by some sections of The Hawthorns crowd during defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup, and he was also the subject of negative chants during the Burnley match.
There was speculation that he may walk away or that his contract would be terminated by mutual consent.
However, last week the veteran midfielder decided to exercise the second year of his deal and today, he has reported for pre-season along with the club’s other senior players.
Barry joined Albion from Everton last summer for £1million and subsequently broke the Premier League appearance record.
However, he did not feature under head coach Darren Moore during his time as caretaker boss because he missed the last 10 games of the season with a knee injury. His recovery from that injury will be assessed over the coming days.
Competition for places in central midfield was fierce last season, but Grzegorz Krychowiak has returned to parent club Paris Saint-Germain and Claudio Yacob has been released, leaving Barry, Jake Livermore and Sam Field.
Moore also played Chris Brunt in central midfield towards the end of last season.
Today, all players will be weighed, measured and tested by Albion’s medical staff before the squad fly out to Portugal tomorrow for a five-day training camp.
Ahmed Hegazi and Nacer Chadli have not reported for testing because they are currently in Russia competing in the World Cup for Egypt and Belgium respectively.
Egypt have already been knocked out and their final game takes place today against Saudi Arabia, while Belgium have qualified for the knock-out stages with a game to spare.
Albion's first pre-season game is away at National League side Barnet on Saturday, July 7.
