What Daryl Dike has said on his West Brom situation as big Baggies contract call looms | OneFootball

Baggies striker Daryl Dike has reflected on his time at The Hawthorns as his contract looks set to run down in the summer.

West Brom striker Daryl Dike has been through more than most when it comes to injuries in his four years at The Hawthorns.

Originally joining for a reported £7 million fee from Barnsley during the winter transfer window of 2022, the American was hopeful of being the added spark to fire the Baggies back into the Premier League, but his inability to stay on the pitch has hampered those ambitions.

Dike’s opening season for Albion saw him make just two appearances, as a hamstring injury on his home debut against Peterborough United ruled him out for the remainder of the term.

Heading into 2022-23 under Steve Bruce, the American international was sidelined for 19 games with a thigh injury, before earning his longest run of playing time in an Albion shirt under Carlos Corberan, featuring in 22 consecutive games and scoring seven goals in the process.

But over that and the following season, Dike suffered two gut-wrenching Achilles tendon ruptures, meaning he didn’t make a consistent return to action until February 2025, when Albion’s play-off hopes crumbled with Tony Mowbray.

This campaign, Dike would go on to miss the opening nine games of the season with a thigh injury sustained in training, and that tweak would see him positioned as the third-choice striker under Ryan Mason.

In Mason’s six months at the club, the former Barnsley forward featured only seven times and earned just 31 minutes of second-tier action, with the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder clearly unable to trust Dike and favouring the services of Aune Heggebo or Josh Maja.

Some credit has to go to Dike for keeping himself fit for the majority of the season, and there is hope an extended run of playing time can transpire under Eric Ramsay.

Encouraging signs have been offered with 30-minute run-outs off the bench against Derby County and Birmingham City in recent times, while also starting last weekend's stalemate with Stoke City for the first time since the final day of last season.

And after earning a place back in the first-team picture, Dike has reflected on his time at The Hawthorns so far and how he can help West Brom for the remainder of the season.

Daryl Dike is still “living the dream” for West Brom despite injury woes

Speaking to BBC Radio WM and reported by the Express & Star, West Brom frontman Daryl Dike has said that he is still “living the dream” by playing for the Baggies after getting more regular first-team appearances under Eric Ramsay and is now focused on making a sizeable contribution for the remainder of Albion’s survival bid after putting his injury struggles behind him.

Dike said: "Thankfully, I have had a lot of support at the club.

"Unfortunately, the club has seen some of the lowest points of my life.

"When I'm not playing, I try and not look at social media, I just want to support the club.

"Thankfully, I've had a lot of support, I have been pushing the guys and getting ready to contribute for the team.

"Whether on the pitch or not, I have a job, to be a vocal person who can lead from the bench, or in the changing rooms."

He added: "Whatever situation I am in, I can only control what I can.

"So that is training the hardest, taking care of my body and one day the chance will come, and it will work in your favour.

"It was a big stepping stone and I think I played pretty well.

"I am still living the dream and I know that dream looks different sometimes."

With Daryl Dike’s current deal at The Hawthorns running down this coming summer, the club has a massive decision to make about whether to offer him an extended stay.

The American has proven over the years that he can be a handful in the second-tier, with his bullish frame and physicality two attributes that have contributed to him netting regular goals at Barnsley and when he’s been briefly fit in the blue and white stripes.

But the issue has been keeping him on the pitch over the years, with Dike playing the number of games over four seasons that you would normally expect in one or two.

While it has been encouraging to see him maintain his fitness for a few months now, you do fear that with the increased playing time, the more prone he is to picking up another issue, with his minutes currently being managed under Ramsay, given he barely played with Mason at the helm.

For Dike to earn a new contract, he first has to maintain his fitness for the remainder of the campaign and then prove that he can still score goals at this level, with the presence of a goalscoring force surely enough to see the Baggies retain their Championship status.

If Dike can play a big part in achieving that goal, then there’s no reason for the club to not allow him to extend his stay and see if he can repay their investment, but if he fails to make much of a difference, then you wouldn’t blame Albion for moving him on and bolstering the forward department in the summer.