Karlan Grant's West Brom point to prove after attacker's exit claim
Albion’s Karlan Grant hopes to continue to prove a point and grasp the chance handed to him by boss Carlos Corberan.
Left-sided forward Grant netted his first Albion goal in 18 months to open the scoring in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Stoke.
The 26-year-old was allowed to join Championship rivals Cardiff on loan last season – where he played in 39 of 46 league games – but came back determined to make his mark on his parent clubs this summer.
Grant checked into The Hawthorns for a sizeable £15million from Huddersfield four years ago as a centre-forward but Corberan sees the attacker as best from the left and has selected Grant on that side of his attack in the three league games this season so far.
“It was massive,” Grant reflected to BBC WM of his stooping header against the Potters. “I pride myself as a player that I want to score goals and I want to be playing. I’m grateful at the moment. I got a goal and I’m over the moon.
“I worked throughout the whole summer, I was in good shape last year as well but obviously things don’t happen the way you want them to happen.
“I played a lot of games last year. I worked hard this summer because I wanted to come back and prove a point and I’m still hoping to do so.”
Grant was recruited by Slaven Bilic after Albion sealed promotion to the Premier League and after low-key debut campaign of just one top flight goal he caught fire in his second season at The Hawthorns.
He led the club’s goalscoring charts with 18 across the season under Valerien Ismael and Steve Bruce as the club stuttered. It then appeared Grant was not fancied by Corberan as the Spaniard took charge in September 2022 – and a loan to the Bluebirds came the following summer.
The attacker added of his expectations this summer: “It’s a difficult one – I’m a West Brom player with two years on my contract so it’s like ‘I’m here’ until I’ll be told otherwise.
“I wanted to stay. I think I made that clear. I’m happy to stay and happy to contribute to the team.”
Grant said: “I was just integrated in the squad like usual. I’ve always worked hard under him, he’s never had anything bad to say about me on that front. It’s about working hard and see what happens.
“I kept my head down, had a decent pre-season, managed to keep fit and long may that continue.
“I think he (Corberan) is pretty fair. I came back in good shape and condition and he’s giving me an opportunity.
“Hopefully I’m grasping that in his eyes. I think I’ve started off well and I want to continue that.
“I appreciate the praise, I know things can be up and down – you get that as a footballer – but the main thing is to keep going. When you work hard you reap the rewards.”
Summer recruit Lewis Dobbin, the loan signing from Villa, is another option Corberan has to use from the left. Dobbin is being integrated at a similar pace to other summer signings after no pre-season with the Baggies.
Grady Diangana is another recognised option on that flank – though he has been used centrally in more recent times. Diangana injured his shoulder in Saturday’s Stoke victory.
