Young West Brom summer recruit eager to make his impact
Albion’s former Wolves youth defender Muhamed Diomande is eyeing a route into first-team football after seeing a pathway with the Baggies.
The 18-year-old, who spent his childhood in Italy, crossed the Black Country divide and has been a regular for Richard Beale’s under-21 side so far this term.
Diomande was a successful trialist at The Hawthorns, having been released by Wolves following a four-year spell.
Albion’s youngsters have responded well from a difficult start to the season and heavy defeats by Norwich and Brighton in Premier League 2. Beale’s side embarked on a four-game unbeaten run that was almost five, but for a penalty shootout defeat at National League Ebbsfleet following a 2-2 draw on Tuesday in the new National League Cup competition.
The teenager has seen Tom Fellows as an example of progression in the club’s academy, on which the new Bilkul Football ownership are placing serious stock, and wants to play a part.
Diamonde said: “I want to play for the first team, whether that’s getting an appearance in the league or the cup, and if that doesn’t happen, going on loan is always an option too, so it’s about building my profile.
“I’ve seen a lot of players come from this academy and play at the top level, so I believe this club can get me somewhere based on the hard work I put in.
“Hopefully, it’ll pay off in the end and the first team boss has given out opportunities to academy players before, so I believe with that faith I can get somewhere here.”
Diomande and Albion’s under-21s are in action against Leeds United in York on Friday night as the mid-table youngsters looked to make inroads on the 26-team PL2’s top half.
The centre-back is not the only Italian teen to catch the eye with the under-21s, with compatriot Dauda Idrissa, a 16-year-old defender-turned-midfielder who only signed scholarship forms in the summer, thought to be a real talent.
Idrissa was a senior debutant as a second-half substitute in August’s first-team EFL Cup defeat at Fleetwood.
“The coaches are very good,” defender Diomande added. “As people, they’re direct, open, and that helps us develop at this stage. We can rely on them and that’s the main thing. I’m focused on giving my all here and seeing where it gets me.
“I’ve gained a lot of confidence from these early games. I feel the freedom to show how I can play – even if that’s meant some mistakes – but that’s come by training at the level I want to show on the pitch when it comes to the games.”
Meanwhile, Albion first-team duo Jayson Molumby and Mikey Johnston have been called up to represent Republic of Ireland on international duty.
Ireland travel to Finland next Thursday and then take on Greece away from home three days later in the Nations League.
Albion defender Torbjorn Heggem has won a first Norwegian call after his impressive start to the season. Norway welcome Slovenia to Oslo next Thursday before a trip to Austria on Sunday.
Loanee Paddy McNair, yet to make his Baggies league bow, is yet again selected by Northern Ireland for games against Belarus and Bulgaria.
Star winger Tom Fellows, who made a scoring start to his England under-21 career as a late replacement call last month, has not made the cut this time around.
