West Brom defender Kyle Bartley triggers extension as boss makes transfer point
Defender Kyle Bartley will be an Albion player next season after triggering a 12-month extension in his contract, boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed.
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Bartley, who turns 34 next month, has featured 27 times for the Baggies this season and recently passed an appearance-related extension clause in his contract.
That deal, with the extra year option, was signed last summer.
The former Swansea man is vice-captain at The Hawthorns and has clocked up more than 200 league appearances for the club.
Mowbray - whose side head to play-off rivals Coventry on Friday for a crunch clash to make the top six - is pleased Bartley’s future has been clarified and has been positively surprised by the dominant centre-back’s ability.
Mowbray revealed the news to the Express & Star and said: "He'll be around next year. His contract dictates he'll be around next year."
The head coach added that the news of Bartley's extension will not distract the club in the transfer window from potentially beefing their centre-back options.
"I'm happy he's going to be around next year - but he'll have competition, it doesn't mean we won't sign another centre-half," added Mowbray.
"We've got some really talented young centre-halves that I really like.
"Bartley ... he's not unique, but he's really important for this group of players, for this dressing room. On the grass he's really important to nick headers here and there and just be solid.
"He's shown his mobility in recent games. One-on-one with speed merchants he can actually get there and block. He doesn't get ran away from, he's an impressive individual."
Albion's other centre-back options include Torbjorn Heggem, who this week scooped two player of the season awards in his debut campaign at the club.
Others are Semi Ajayi, who has been injured and is out of contract at the end of the season, Everton loan defender Mason Holgate and academy graduate prospect Caleb Taylor.
Taylor, 22, is back out on loan at League One high-flyers Wycombe and is expected to be a squad option at The Hawthorns next term. He was briefly recalled as cover in January and scored in Albion's FA Cup defeat at Bournemouth.
Other first-team players whose deal expire at the end of the season include Ajayi, John Swift and Grady Diangana.
