Taylor Gardner-Hickman focusing on adding goals and assists to West Brom

The academy graduate does not turn 22 until December but is embarking on his third campaign among Albion’s first-team options.

He bagged his first two goals in senior football last term, on the road at Reading last October and in Blackpool in April as Carlos Corberan’s side made a late play-off push.

Gardner-Hickman also registered one assist, but his Championship appearances were mostly restricted to from the bench as he struggled to force his way in as a regular under head coach Corberan, with Okay Yokuslu and Jayson Molumby the Spaniard’s preferred duo.

The Telford-born midfielder impressed last week with a pre-season friendly double in the 2-2 draw at Salford City and he kept his place for Saturday’s Burton clash after the well-taken strikes. Gardner-Hickman knows he must deliver in front of goal on a more regular basis.

“Personally for me next season I’d like to add more goal contributions, whether that’s assists or goals or just creating chances in general,” Gardner-Hickman said.

“That’s something I’m really working on in pre-season and then hopefully in the season itself it’ll come off.

“The first one was a good strike, it’s something I’ve been working on in training with one of the coaches, just getting the touch out of my feet and a strike at goal, it’s nice to see what you do in training come off.”

The youngster’s double at Salford came while he was playing as an attacking midfielder, the role John Swift generally occupies for Albion. He pressed the Salford defence into errors and finished once, high from the edge of the box with unerring power and then by finding the corner after jinking beyond two defenders.

Gardner-Hickman remarked on the intensity of Corberan’s pre-season training and admitted the head coach’s demands to hard work during action – and said he wants to bring as much energy as possible to his overall game this coming term.

“It’s more goal contributions as I said, that’s definitely one thing,” he said when asked what the boss is looking to see.

“But I think it’s just working hard, I always try to do that, but definitely getting forward and backwards in helping the team, and not just in one specific area. My goal this season is trying to help everywhere I can, both defending and in attack.

“He has high demands and it’s very good as a young player especially coming through.

“You know you can’t rest and you can’t get complacent for a minute, so that’s really good. Some of the stuff I’ve learned off him already can take my game to the next level.”

Gardner-Hickman is once more battling with full Ireland and Turkey internationals Molumby and Yokuslu to force his way into Corberan’s thinking.

Also back as competition is Alex Mowatt, who spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough but has impressed during Albion’s friendlies and looks set to play a part under the Spaniard.

Fellow central midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah is available for sale and was in talks to join Maccabi Haifa in Israel, but the move broke down. Albion are hopeful of more interest as they continue to lower the wage bill.