West Brom central defender Dara O'Shea believes that Daryl Dike will be a massive boost to the Baggies squad when he returns to full fitness, in conversation with the Express & Star.
Dike, who joined the Midlands club on a four-and-a-half-year deal at the start of January, has been confined to just two Championship appearances since arriving three-and-a-half months ago.
The 21-year-old enjoyed a productive loan spell with Barnsley last season, playing an integral role in their eventual finish inside the play-off positions.
Speaking to the Express & Star about the return of the exciting forward, and the prospect of the Dike playing alongside Andy Carroll, O'Shea said: "Those two together would be a real handful.
"Dike coming back is going to be huge for us.
"The fans saw a glimpse of what he can do in the two games he played.
"But in training he has been working really hard and is clearly very motivated to get back fit.
"He is going to be massive for us. And the two of them together – I wouldn’t want to come up against them put it that way.
"Andy is a great guy first of all and an unbelievable player.
"Everyone has seen what he offers us as an outlet. We can play football but we can also hit him which gives us two styles to our play.
"Since he has stepped in the door he has been first class with the lads in training.
"He is such a big presence that he tends to take two defenders with him. I’m buzzing to have him here and to be able to learn from him."
The verdict
O'Shea hits the nail on the head when he says that he would not want to come up against the forward duo when both are fit and raring to go.
The pair both bring physicality and great link-up play to attacking positions, whilst the 21-year-old has excellent pace to add another dimension to an exciting potential frontline.
Both have shown that they have a knack for scoring goals, so next season could be massive for West Brom and the aforementioned duo in particular.
Of course, Carroll is only on a short-term contract at The Hawthorns, so this potential strike partnership is not something that is certain, however, the towering striker has certainly impressed during his stint with the Baggies thus far, bolstering his chances of being awarded another deal.