Devante Cole situation clarified amid ongoing West Brom absence

West Brom striker Devante Cole signed on a free transfer in the summer but he has played only 14 minutes of league football so far

Summer signing Devante Cole understands his role within the West Bromwich Albion squad and it is hoped and expected of the striker that he will be prepared to grasp any opportunity which is thrust in his direction.

That is the view of Albion boss Carlos Corberan, who green lighted the arrival of the forward on a free transfer in the summer as the Baggies began to flesh out their squad again after a spring clean of the group which carried the club into the play-offs last season. Cole arrived with limited Championship experience but having netted 34 goals for Barnsley across the past two League One seasons.

Cole's openings in the early weeks of the new season have been few and far between; indeed he has been granted only 14 minutes of league football this term, those coming from the bench on the opening day win at QPR when striker counterpart Josh Maja fired a hat-trick. Cole then started and played the majority of the EFL Cup defeat to Fleetwood Town, in which he claimed the assist for Mo Faal's goal.

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Since, however, Cole's only involvements have been with the club's under 21s in the Premier League 2; he fired an eye-catching brace in a 5-0 demolition of Stoke City before playing a further hour against Chelsea on the other side of the September international break. Since, Cole has only made the Baggies' bench once since August, in the recent defeat to Middlesbrough.

Albion, who consequently sold Faal to Wrexham at the end of the summer transfer window and who are awaiting the hopefully imminent return of Daryl Dike, are depending on the league's top scorer Maja to produce at the moment, but Corberan has challenged Cole - son of Manchester United great Andy - to be ready to go when his abilities are required.

"When I signed him, or when we decided to sign him, we wanted to create a squad with different possibilities," Corberan explained. "It's true we didn't sign him with the expectation to be the first XI number nine. We signed him with the possibility to be a good option as a number nine.

"I like the possibility to bring him in, and possibly not another younger player because he has enough maturity to understand that sometimes if the number nine is competing well, then he is probably not going to have the minutes he would like.

"With enough maturity it is about not giving up in this challenge he has and about working hard when the opportunity comes to you. Sometimes if psychologically you cannot handle the difficult situation well then you are not ready when the opportunity comes you are not ready to get it. That is one of the reasons we decided to bring him.

"When you move from League One, not being a young player - he has a lot of experience - having a small experience in the Championship with not many minutes, having made more impact in League One, when you move to West Bromwich, to a club who made the play-offs...he understands his role in the team.

"What happens after - I never know. I am more open to see how they are growing. It is not an easy situation for him because he is not having minutes and every player wants to play, but when you have a lot of possibilities you manage the minutes in what you think is the best way for the team."

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