Fresh twist emerges in Daryl Dike's situation at West Brom | OneFootball

The American striker has suffered a setback as he looks to return from injury

West Brom boss Carlos Corberan has revealed that striker Daryl Dike has suffered a small setback in his recovery from injury.

The striker has endured a torrid time with injury since joining the Baggies in January 2022, and played just four games in all competitions last season, sandwiched between two achilles injuries.

Corberan revealed that the American international had injured his hamstring in training, rather than anything to do with his existing injury, but it'll still be frustrating for the 24-year-old who has played just 32 games for West Brom since joining the club two-and-half years ago.

Dike is a popular figure at The Hawthorns and supporters will be desperate for him to return to action in the near future, but it looks as if they'll have to wait a little longer following his most recent setback.

Carlos Corberan reveals fresh twist in Daryl Dike's injury situation

In his press conference prior to the Baggies' clash with Cardiff City this weekend, Corberan revealed that Dike had suffered a setback with an injury to his hamstring in training.

However, the Spaniard, who recently celebrated two years as West Brom boss, was adamant that while it's frustrating for Dike, it's normal for players to suffer muscle injuries at this late stage of rehabilitation following a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Speaking to West Brom's official website, Corberan said: “In training this week, Daryl Dike was feeling a small pain in his hamstring. Let’s say it’s a small setback, but this is part of the process. We know that when he came back into training with the group, in this last step of his rehabilitation is when the muscle problems could appear.

“It’s not a surprise for us, but it’s also not a positive for him because he was in the last period after having a difficult time and now he has another difficult one.

“It’s a small setback that we need to manage well, but, in my opinion, it’s a normal part of this process. When you try to make your body ready again after a long time, you are going to have some muscle difficulty. The medical staff and the coaching staff understand that this is part of the process.

“It hasn’t affected my plans with Daryl or our upcoming games, but it’s important to manage this carefully because we don’t want something small to turn into something big."

Daryl Dike desperately deserves some luck

While this may be only a small setback, it'll still be hugely frustrating for Dike, who has had some rotten luck with injury in recent seasons.

Dike has shown that when he's been able to stay fit he can be a huge asset in the Championship, scoring 16 times in 48 appearances in spells with Barnsley and the Baggies, and when he returns he'll be a hugely influential figure for Corberan's side.

It looked like his injury woes were behind him when he returned in an FA Cup tie against Aldershot last season, scoring in his first game back, but just a month later he was taken off away to Ipswich Town with yet another serious injury.

Dike desperately deserves some luck in the near future, and while this setback is inconvenient, it shouldn't be enough to derail his return. He could be a hugely important player for West Brom this season, and everybody at the club will be crossing their fingers that he can remain fit.