Former West Bromwich Albion striker Kevin Campbell has backed winger Grady Diangana to recapture his form from his successful 2019/20 campaign at The Hawthorns, speaking to Football Insider.

The 23-year-old played a key part in the West Midlands side's promotion to the Premier League that season, scoring eight goals and recording seven assists in 30 Championship appearances.

At the time, he was on loan from West Ham United but after making such a good impression at The Hawthorns and helping to secure a top-flight return, then-Baggies boss Slaven Bilic decided to re-enter the market and purchase the winger on an £18m deal.

 

 

It was a deal that upset many West Ham fans who wanted their academy graduate to remain at the London Stadium and make an impact in the first team.

However, the Hammers may now be breathing a sigh of relief after seeing Diangana struggle to replicate his 2019/20 form last season, as the Baggies were relegated back to the second tier after just one season back in the Premier League.

Instead, it was fellow winger Matheus Pereira who stole the headlines last term, bagging an impressive 17 goal contributions.

But with the 25-year-old Brazilian looking set to leave the Championship club this summer, it may be up to the former West Ham wide man to step up to the plate alongside the likes of Karlan Grant and Matt Phillips to provide the attacking firepower needed to win promotion again next season.

Former Baggies striker Kevin Campbell has backed the 23-year-old to do this and in an interview with Football Insider, said: "I expect we will see Diangana back to his best this season, without a shadow of a doubt.

"I know he struggled somewhat in the Premier League last season but he possesses an immense amount of quality.

"West Brom are going to dominate games next season and that means he is going to get a lot of the ball. His level is going to be very high.

"He didn’t finish the Premier League season badly so I expect him to carry that on.

"Let’s be honest, Diangana is a player who has proved himself at Championship level. I think he is going to be such a threat in that division."

The Verdict:

It's great news for West Brom that Diangana hasn't only just showcased his potential in the Championship before, but he's done it at The Hawthorns which could allow the winger to relax about his poor performances last season and put it to the back of his mind.

And under a new manager, a new system, new tactics and new ideas, this could be the fresh start he requires and will have hugely benefitted from a full pre-season of football as he adapts to the way Valerien Ismael wants to play.

After signing a five-year deal last summer on his permanent arrival, the 23-year-old still has plenty of time to impress in the West Midlands and now he's back in a division where he has shown his true class, it would be hard to imagine him not thriving next season as his side enter the campaign as promotion favourites.

When you have the likes of Karlan Grant and Matt Phillips alongside you, who also look set to shine in the second-tier again, Diangana should be brimming with confidence as the countdown to their Championship opener against AFC Bournemouth continues.