Opinion: It’s too soon for West Brom to consider cashing in on 21-year-old

What started with a bang, looks set to end with a whimper, as the club have fallen far from their lofty position in the top six at the turn of the year.

It all started so promisingly, with Daryl Dike’s arrival on January 1 for a mouthwatering £7 million. 

But Dike has only featured for 84 minutes in his West Brom career to date. 

The American made his debut in a 1-0 loss to QPR on January 15, coming off the bench with 30 minutes left on the clock.

Dike’s first start for the Baggies was the last time he featured for the club, playing 52 minutes of the side’s 3-0 win over Peterborough United.

A hamstring injury has kept him out of the side until the international break.

But a knee injury has since set back his recovery, keeping him out of the team for an even longer period than initially feared.

In his absence, Valerien Ismael has been sacked and Steve Bruce has presided over a poor run of form of his own which has left West Brom 12th in the Championship table. 

There have also been rumours linking Dike with a move away from the Hawthorns, only a few months after his arrival at the club.

Ismael is reportedly looking to reunite with the man who he brought to West Brom at the start of this year. 

But it would surely be too soon for West Brom to consider cashing in on Dike.

The American has proven himself a valuable asset in the Championship, having played well under Ismael at Barnsley last season.

The 21-year old arrived on loan from MLS side Orlando City, where he bagged nine goals from 13 starts to help the Tykes achieve a play-off place. 

While it has been a rotten start to life at West Brom, Dike has shown enough potential elsewhere that he deserves a fresh start with the club ahead of next season.

It is likely that West