West Brom will be hoping they can hold their nerve in the race for promotion into the Premier League under the management of Slaven Bilic. 

The Baggies are currently sat second in the Championship table, and are six points clear of third-placed Fulham with nine games remaining in this year's campaign.

However, due to recent off-the-field events, all fixtures across the country have been put on hold for the time being, with no scheduled return date being set as of yet.

One player that has played his part in West Brom's impressive showings to date is Semi Ajayi, who has made 37 appearances in all competitions for the Baggies this term.

Ajayi was previously on the books with Arsenal from 2013-2015, before moving to Cardiff City. The defender failed to make a single senior appearance for the Gunners in his time with the club though.

Speaking in an interview on the Nigerian Football team's Instagram, Ajayi revealed that he learned a considerable amount from playing alongside some household names in world football whilst with Arsenal.

"I learned a lot while I was there so I always look back on the two years.

"Training with these guys every day was great because I could go up against some of the best players in the country and around the world."

Ajayi went on to talk up the influence of former Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker, who he stated gave him wisdom whilst training alongside the former German international.

"Per Mertesacker took a lot of time out to teach me the art of defending and give me some wisdom that he’s picked along the way and shared with me, and I was really grateful for that.

"I did hope to one day break into the first team but everyone’s path is different, sometimes you have to take two steps back to take three steps forward.

"The things that I learned while I was there will serve me for the rest of my career."

Can you remember which West Brom manager signed these players? Test your knowledge in our quiz!

 

The Verdict: 

It's no surprise to hear that he's gained a lot from his time at Arsenal.

The Gunners have had a number of players that Ajayi would have looked up to, and Mertesacker is a prime example of the sort of player that Ajayi should look to follow in the future.

The German was a fantastic leader in his time with Arsenal, and Ajayi will be hoping that he can get a shot to play in the Premier League next season.

West Brom have really impressed me this season, and Ajayi has certainly played his part in their push for promotion into the top-flight this term under the guidance of Slaven Bilic.