West Bromwich Albion head coach Slaven Bilic has commented on midfielder Rekeem Harper's decision to sign a new contract at the club, admitting that it was not difficult to persuade him to remain at The Hawthorns.

The 19-year-old signed a new three-year contract with West Brom last week, extending his stay at the club until the summer of 2022.

Harper made 23 appearances for the Baggies last season and was able to establish himself in the first team, after a string of encouraging performances during the second half of the campaign.

The midfielder was out of contract at Albion this summer and had been strongly linked with a move to Celtic, but new head coach Bilic was able to persuade him to sign a new deal.

Bilic has insisted that Harper's decision to stay at West Brom is the best option for his career and admitted that it was not hard to convince him to remain at the club.

“I had a chat with him and his agent and I really think it was a no-brainer for a player who is looking to have a good path, a good opportunity and platform long-term in his career,” Bilic told West Brom's club website.

“He knows the club, he knows the area. Last year he played a reasonable amount, a lot maybe for his first season. It was not hard for me to persuade him.

“It was his priority to think about his career, and this is the best place for him to be.”

Albion appointed Bilic as their new head coach last month, replacing Darren Moore who was sacked in March.

First-team coach James Shan took caretaker charge and was able to cement Albion's position in the top six, but the team would eventually miss out on promotion, losing to Aston Villa in the play-offs.

The Verdict

I think Bilic is right. Harper was a key player for West Brom last season and it's a major boost for the Baggies to keep hold of him.

He showed that he's got potential to develop into a top player and an experienced coach like Bilic should be able to get the best out of him.

It didn't look as though Harper was going to sign a new contract for weeks, but it seems as though Bilic was always confident he would be able to persuade the midfielder to stay.

You have to wonder how much West Brom's decision to appoint Bilic as head coach played a role in Harper's decision.