West Brom eyeing Coventry starlet Sam McCallum

The Baggies have been keeping close tabs on the 19-year-old, who primarily plays at left-back and has impressed for the League One promotion chasers.

And Albion are ready to go into battle with a host of other clubs in a bid to land the talented teenager.

Villa, Leeds, Huddersfield and Nottingham Forest have all previously been linked with a move for McCallum, who joined the Sky Blues in 2018 from non-league Hearn Bay.

But the Baggies are hopeful they can put together a package that will lure the defender to The Hawthorns.

McCallum, who can also play at right-back and in midfield, was released by Gillingham as a youngster and dropped into non-league.

But it was while playing for England schoolboys that a coach spotted his potential and pointed him in the direction of the Jamie Vardy Academy – which was set up by the Leicester striker to showcase non-league talent to league clubs.

It was from there that Coventry swooped with McCallum joining the Sky Blues in August 2018.

After breaking into the first team last season, the defender was rewarded with a new deal that runs until the summer off 2022.

This season he has made six starts and two substitute appearances for Mark Robin’s side who currently sit second in League One and are unbeaten in nine matches.

Meanwhile, striker Charlie Austin says he has settled in seamlessly at The Hawthorns since his summer move from Southampton.

But while he says Albion is family club off the pitch, he is determined they will be ruthless on it.

“I have settled in well, everyone at the club can’t do enough for me so it’s been easy,” he said.

“A couple of months down the line, I know I have made the right decision.

“It’s a family club but as soon as you cross that white line there is no family club. I’m just saying it how it is.

“Everyone here is lovely, it is a family club.

“But when us lads go across that white line you want us to win, you want us to beat them.

“Off the pitch we are a family club, but on it we are there to give Albion fans a big smile on their face.”

Elsewhere, centre-back Semi Ajayi has been called up to the Nigeria squad for their friendly against Brazil.

The match will take place in Singapore on October 13.