Despite a spirited comeback in the play-off semi-final second leg, the gruelling demands of the Championship season proved all too much for West Bromwich Albion.

The agony of narrowly missing out on promotion to the Premier League is made all the more damning when your best players make the move to the Premier League without you.

This may very well be the case for a lot of West Brom’s players who will without question want to be – and deserve to be – playing Premier League football.

Jay Rodriguez, in particular, will be on the wish list of quite a few Premier League teams for this coming season after his 22-goal wonder season. Without him, you can’t help but feel like West Brom wouldn’t have made the play-offs.

Another key player that the Baggies will definitely miss, though, will be Stefan Johansen. The midfield talisman has signed a new contract at his parent club Fulham, who will too be a Championship outfit next season.

With top scorer Dwight Gayle leaving to re-join Newcastle United, West Brom are absolutely miles away from the quality their team had this season. Without the three of them, West Brom are reduced to a decent Championship side.

But it’s not all doom and gloom for James Shan’s side…

Their one saving grace for the coming season comes in the form of the Venezuelan giant. It is easy to forget that Salamon Rondon is still a West Brom player. He is their lifeline.

Rondon has spent the season at Newcastle and impressed at his first season at St James’ Park and the likelihood is that they will want to resume his services for next season more than they will Gayle.

The easy way of looking at it is, West Brom will either get: at least £15 million for Rondon, Dwight Gayle – a proven 20-goal-a-season Championship striker – on a swap deal or have Rondon for a season in the Championship.

£15 million+ would help Shan’s side improve in most areas needed, Gayle would get them at least 20 goals next season, and Rondon would score plenty in the Championship. Either way you look at it, West Brom will benefit from the situation.