West Brom deal to sign 'ruthless' star is paying off - it could accelerate Daryl Dike exit | OneFootball

West Brom seem to have found a gem in Aune Heggebo, but in turn that could lead to the imminent departure of Daryl Dike.

West Brom are under pressure to turn their season around and work their way into the promotion picture.

Baggies boss Ryan Mason has really struggled to get his Albion side showing consistency in both results and performances of late, with the Baggies now sitting 16th in the league table after 20 matches.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is proving to be an unpopular figure among the West Brom faithful himself, with supporters often left scratching their heads at the playing style, tactics and in-game management.

Their latest loss at Southampton in midweek made it seven straight away defeats on the spin, while the team have won just four games in their last 16 matches.

While, in general, it has gone far from swimmingly on the pitch, there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to West Brom’s recruitment, particularly regarding the arrival of Norwegian international Aune Heggebo.

Despite a slow start to life in the second-tier, the goals are now starting to flow from the frontman, who joined for a reported fee of €5.5m from SK Brann.

While it is relieving to see such a significant investment paying off, the form of Heggebo is pushing American striker Daryl Dike further down the pecking order and closer to the exit door, particularly given his horrendous injury record and his contract situation at The Hawthorns.

Aune Heggebo’s surge in form for West Brom

Aune Heggebo signed on the dotted line at The Hawthorns this summer for an exceptionally high fee, particularly for an outfit that has had to deal with some testing financial issues due to the previous ownership of Guochuan Lai.

Therefore, there is big pressure on Heggebo’s shoulders to deliver in the blue and white stripes, and it’s safe to say many Albion supporters had their doubts over the 24-year-old’s ability to score regularly at this level.

The criticism was justified too, as the striker made a very slow start to life in England. Despite notching an assist on his debut against Blackburn Rovers, Heggebo failed to find his maiden goal for five matches, before netting a late consolation goal in a defeat at Middlesbrough.

Expected to push on and gain confidence, Heggebo didn’t score again for another eight matches, but found his mojo when arriving off the bench against Oxford United to net a late winner and complete a comeback.

And since that moment, the Norwegian has been a goalscoring machine, going on to net a brace at table-toppers Coventry City and then another two goals against Swansea City, helping Albion fight back from a two-goal deficit to spark pandemonium inside The Hawthorns.

Away at QPR, Heggebo also scored an astonishing header from a Callum Styles delivery, and he has been able to showcase all types of finishes so far this term, while using his physicality to bully second-tier defenders and get into dangerous positions to score goals.

It seems as though the shackles have come off, and the true frontman has been unleashed onto the Championship stage, with Albion hoping this regularity of goalscoring can continue to help push the team up the table.

Over this period, Heggebo has exuded confidence in his play, making intelligent runs, holding the ball up to bring others into play, while also having the talent to bury opportunities with either foot.

And he seems to be making a lasting impression on his teammates too, with fellow summer arrival Krystian Bielik labelling Heggebo as “ruthless” and one of the strongest forwards he has ever come up against.

Speaking to West Brom’s official club website, Bielik said: “Aune is a ruthless striker,” Bielik said. “He’s one of the strongest strikers I’ve ever had to face in training before.

“I can see the quality that he has, and the whole group can see what he can do. We all know what he can achieve.

“He’s so strong, he’s so good in the aerial duels, and even when you don’t give him the best ball, he can handle it. He’s capable of setting it down for others or holding it up - it’s clear he’s a great target for us to aim for.

“He’s scored five goals in his last four games, so you can see where he is with his form. We need him in every single game and I hope he keeps scoring for us.

“He’s one of those players that doesn’t calculate. He takes every training session seriously and he wants to do his best. That tells you straight away about him as a player and as a human being – I’m really glad we have him, he’s a top striker. We can all see it.

“As a team, we’re getting more bodies into the box. He’s not on his own and he can find his space to make it difficult for defenders in the penalty area. He’s ruthless, he’s strong and quick. That makes it difficult for defenders to get close to him.

“Even for the goal against Oxford United a few weeks ago, my good friend [Michał] Helik was marking him, but he lost him because of his speed. It’s very difficult to face him and I’m glad he's in our side.

“He didn’t surprise us in the Swansea game at all, we knew that he’d deliver.”

Aune Heggebo's improvement could lead to a swift exit for Daryl Dike

As one striker prospers, it does impact the other options waiting in the wings, and that is certainly the case for Daryl Dike.

Albion supporters have been bewildered by the lack of game time the American has received under Ryan Mason, particularly when he has had a respectable track record of finding the back of the in the second-tier when fit.

It has been viewed as a make-or-break season for Dike this term, particularly as his contract is set to run down next summer, but he hasn’t even been able to get on the pitch at times to make an impact.

In the 11 games he’s been in the squad this season, Dike hasn’t started a single match and has featured off the bench just four times, with his most action only a measly 10 minutes at Watford back in October.

It has raised questions about whether Albion are gearing up to sell the striker, with the January transfer window the club’s final opportunity to make any cash from a sale.

This could well be the case, and Heggebo’s hot form is definitely helping towards the Baggies hierarchy making this decision.

Dike is definitely being pushed further and further down the pecking order, with Heggebo even keeping Josh Maja on the bench at St Mary’s as the Albion number 19 completed the full 90 minutes.

If Maja’s gametime is being reduced, then Dike’s is certain to be non-existent, and it is a real shame as he does offer a bullish physicality and a clinical nature in front of goal when provided with opportunities.

If Dike is to salvage what’s left of his Albion career, then he will have to hope for a change of regime at the club soon, with his first-team prospects looking bleaker the longer Ryan Mason remains in the role.

It is hanging in the balance whether Mason remains at the club come the turn of the year, but if he does, then Dike has no choice but to explore a move away from the Black Country. The 25-year-old has to be playing regularly in order to restore his reputation and get back to catching the eye on the pitch.