'Wow - we've got Adam Armstrong' - Boss reacts to "razor-sharp" new West Brom hitman

Southampton promotion hero Armstrong checked in at the club's Walsall training base for the first time on Thursday and hit the ground running in his first session as a Baggies loanee.

The 27-year-old joined up with Mowbray for a third time after prolific stints with both Coventry and Blackburn. His availability only became known to Albion late on deadline day - Mowbray's younger brother Darren is Saints' head of scouting - and the Baggies were able to race to the front of the lengthy queue due to the relationship between the striker and head coach.

Mowbray, whose side tackle Sheffield Wednesday at home on Saturday lunchtime with Armstrong pushing for a debut, revealed the Baggies beat off interest from several Championship rivals due to Armstrong's desire for a reunion.

"I've worked with Adam at a few clubs," said Mowbray. "I don't know his exact numbers, but over 20 goals for Coventry as a young boy and every season he was with me at Blackburn scoring over 20 goals and maybe over 30 one season.

"He's a talent. He's a great kid. He'll integrate into the dressing room straight away as his one session showed on Thursday.

"It's exciting. I think the players are excited Adam Armstrong is here to be honest. I'd have to say watching him in training he looked ready, sharp, quick, all the stuff we know he can bring.

"I'm looking forward to getting him going. Him realising which players can play the quality pass to slip him in to score. My overriding feeling was 'wow, we've got Adam Armstrong!' Hopefully we won't be thinking about where the goals are going to come from now."

Armstrong's prolific CV of 125 career goals includes a large portion in the second tier. He scored twice against Carlos Corberan's Albion in last season's play-off semi-final and the Wembley winner against Leeds for promotion in a 24-goal campaign.

He has 80 goals in total working under Mowbray, including loans at Coventry as a youngster and with Blackburn before a permanent move to Ewood Park.

Promotion rivals Sunderland and Middlesbrough had been credited with interest with the latter priced out of a loan, but owners Bilkul were willing to back an expensive loan move.

The head coach had been desperate to add a natural centre-forward presence to his Albion ranks in the January window. The Baggies captured the loan signing of Tottenham prospect Will Lankshear on the eve of the Plymouth defeat - but when the experienced Armstrong became available the club acted.

Mowbray added of his influence in the deal: "Adam knows wherever he's played for me he's scored goals and then he's gone elsewhere and not necessarily scored. Is that a coincidence? Maybe. Or whether it's the positions we ask him to take up and how to play that suits his attributes.

"I think Adam had a choice where he could go, he had quite a significant choice in this division and he wanted to come here and work with us again."

The head coach said of the marksman's first day training:  "The Saturday before last he started and he said to me he's ready to get going. He looked razor-sharp in training yesterday.

"You get a lift, with a new environment but he's comfortable because he knows the gaffer well enough, he knows Veno (assistant Mark Venus), he knows a few of the lads, they've treated him like a long lost pal. They've all seen what Adam Armstrong's done in the Championship over the last few years. All the lads are happy he's here.

"In my mind he's blisteringly fast off the mark. It's not that it takes him a few seconds to get to sprint speed, he's at full sprint speed straight away and it catches defenders out with him diving in behind." 

Armstrong's loan for the remainder of the season was not revealed until 1.30pm on Tuesday, more than 14 hours after the deadline as EFL signed off confirmation.

Mowbray explained he did not find out the deal was completed until managing director Mark Miles told him following training on Tuesday morning.

"My brother is head of recruitment at Southampton, he phoned me in the afternoon telling me all the clubs in for Adam, my perception was we couldn't do Adam Armstrong," said the head coach.

"With the Premier League salary out there, I'm not sure of his predicament, they've got a new coach, he was made captain by Russell (Martin), I think.

"For whatever reason he became available. It was as late as that, it wasn't something we chased for a week or two, it fell on our doorstep really and I have to thank the club.

"My only experience of Adam Armstrong two or three times has been goals - and lots of them, so I'm hoping he brings that to this club."