West Brom boss Slaven Bilic 'very disappointed' by Ahmed Hegazi exit and gives vague answer on his future

Speaking after the 1-1 draw with Brighton tonight, the head coach was quizzed on Hegazi’s departure to Al-Ittihad on Sunday.

Speaking on Thursday, Bilic said he was aware of interest in the Egyptian centre-back from Saudi Arabia but that the 29-year-old would not be leaving.

Albion, though, accepted a bid from Al-Ittihad over the weekend in a bid to get the defender off the wage bill - with Hegazi the club’s highest earner on £70,000 a week.

“It definitely wasn’t my decision and it wasn’t a football decision,” Bilic said when asked about Hegazi’s departure.

“I’m very disappointed. We are a team that needs all our good players, he is a player that has knowhow in the Premier League.

“He has vast experience, he’s an international player, he is a great professional and he played last week against Burnley and the whole week he was training with us when we were doing shape.

“Even on Saturday he was there and I had assurances he was going to stay and that makes me very disappointed he left.”

Asked if he is angry Hegazi was sold without his approval, Bilic continued: “Angry? I’m disappointed. Angry or disappointed, what does it change?

“I’m very disappointed. I know there are economic reasons and football reasons.

“We are newcomers in the league and we did great to keep our players from last season who were on loan but we were nowhere near as active as some other teams.

“Then at least you have to keep your players and Ahmed Hegazi was one of them and he wanted to play, he played on Saturday when we were doing tactics and shape he was in the first XI and we are not in a position to lose those kind of players.

“You need numbers and you need quality so angry or disappointed doesn’t change a lot but my feeling is very negative about that, of course.”

Hegazi’s departure had led to speculation Bilic was considering his future at the club.

When asked if he can assure fans he is staying, the head coach said: “Look I am only disappointed with Hegazi’s departure because I had been assured he was staying.

“I wanted him to stay, he wanted to stay.

“He played against Burnley, he was meant to play at Brighton.

“I counted on him big time. To lose him on Sunday morning - to find that out - made me really disappointed.”

Albion were a touch unfortunate not to beat Brighton with the two teams playing out a 1-1 draw,

A Jake Livermore own goal saw the hosts go in at the break deservedly ahead.

But the Baggies were a completely different side at the break and created a number of decent chances before Karlan Grant pulled them level.

“It was probably a fair result but I would fancy us if we had another 10 minutes of the game,” Bilic said.

“We were definitely the team that in the second half was much better and we were closer to winning this game.

“Overall in 90 minutes they were better in the second part of the first half but our performance, the way we ended the game and the way we played in the whole second half, we were the team who were closer to scoring more goals.”

Asked why Albion improved after the break, Bilic said: “I told the players at half-time to be braver and be more confident. To be better.

“We had quality on paper but we didn’t show it on the pitch.

“The number of times we got into dangerous areas didn’t dramatically change in the second half.

“But our quality, our belief was way better in the second half.

“For us to be the team that fancied another 10 minutes of the game - although the result is positive - it gives me a smile, confidence, belief for the next games.”