£5m West Brom star facing the pressure - £17k-a-week star is breathing down his neck | OneFootball

Aune Heggebo has enjoyed a positive start at West Brom, but he must start finding the net if he is to keep his place from Josh Maja.

West Brom have had a good start to life under Ryan Mason, with Albion currently sitting in the play-off places after picking up ten points from five games.

Of course, it’s still very early days, but there’s a lot to like about how the Baggies have begun, and several new recruits have made an instant impression.

Aune Heggebo was among the summer additions, and the big Norwegian has shown that he will be an asset to Albion this season.

Aune Heggebo is yet to score for West Brom this season despite positive start

The £4.7m signing from Brann is a very powerful figure who relishes the physical battle, and his ability to lead the line has undoubtedly helped Isaac Price enjoy a productive first five games.

However, even with his positive attributes, the reality is that strikers are going to be judged on goals, and Heggebo still hasn’t scored in the blue-and-white stripes.

After five games, there’s no reason to panic, but the defeat to Derby County last time out highlighted the need for a clinical goalscorer.

The Baggies dominated possession, but they lacked a cutting edge, and it’s the sort of game that Heggebo would’ve been signed to make the difference in.

Josh Maja will be pushing to take Aune Heggebo’s spot in the West Brom XI

Heggebo has played every minute of every game for Albion in the league so far, which proves he has been doing a lot right. But, that’s also shows the lack of options Mason has up top.

That will change now, though, as Josh Maja, who is believed to be on £17k a week, is building fitness after making three successive appearances from the bench after an injury disrupted his pre-season.

Whilst the former Sunderland man doesn’t have the all-round game of Heggebo, he is a proven goalscorer at this level, having scored 12 times in 26 games for West Brom last season.

As mentioned, Albion have played well, but six goals in five games shows exactly where they need to improve moving forward.

It should be said that this isn’t all down to the strikers, and there’s no denying that they sometimes lack creativity, but if West Brom are to mount a serious push for promotion, they will need a regular goalscorer.

Right now, there is a reliance on Price to find the net, and the likes of Mikey Johnston, Karlan Grant and Jed Wallace are sure to chip in over the coming weeks and months. Yet, it’s not going to count for much if Albion don’t have a prolific striker who can carry the load over the course of a demanding, tough season.

Mason has put solid foundations in place at the back, with Nat Phillips and Chris Mepham likely to be an excellent pairing in the heart of the defence.

The next step for Albion to become genuine promotion contenders is improving in the final third, and with Maja and Heggebo, he has two good options.