West Brom preparing to ramp up pre-season work
Albion’s players will begin pre-season training next week with preparations for the new Championship campaign poised to ramp up.
The Baggies squad will initially return in two groups for testing on Tuesday and Wednesday, with head coach Carlos Corberan planning to take charge of the first full training session on Thursday.
All players, barring those currently away on international duty, are expected to report. The absentees are likely to include goalkeeper Josh Griffiths, who is today expected to be named in England’s under-21 squad for the European Championships. Striker Daryl Dike, meanwhile, remains Albion’s only long-term injury absentee.
Many players will return facing uncertain short-term futures, with Albion’s incoming chief executive Mark Miles last week confirming sales will be “inevitable” to help the club balance the books in the first season without Premier League parachute payments.
Miles formally takes over from departing CEO Ron Gourlay tomorrow and the Baggies’ immediate focus in the summer transfer window, which opened today, will be on raising funds. Corberan’s own future remains the subject of some speculation with the Spaniard continuing to be linked with the vacant managerial post at newly-relegated Leeds.
Former Norwich boss Daniel Farke yesterday moved ahead of Corberan as bookmakers’ favourite for the job and the picture should at least become clearer in the coming days, with the Yorkshire club expected to move quickly to make an appointment following their takeover last weekend by San Francisco 49ers Enterprises.
Corberan, who worked at Elland Road as assistant to Marcelo Bielsa, signed a new four-year contract at The Hawthorns after previously being linked with the Leeds job in February following Jesse Marsch’s dismissal.
