Albion’s Korean star Kim Do-heon is on course for a quicker-than-expected return to action after making rapid progress in recovering from a knee injury.

The midfielder is due back at yhe Hawthorns next week, while his wife and young child are also moving from South Korea to the Black Country.

The 26-year-old could be back on the training field next week – just over three weeks after damaging his medial knee ligaments in the win at Middlesbrough.

Kim said; “We allowed him to go back to Korea and pick up his wife and child and bring them back. He has only seen his new baby for two days and he is now eight weeks old.

“Hopefully his life will become more content now he’s got his family with him. I suppose it was a blessing in disguise for him to get an injury so he could get over to Korea and bring his family over.

“He hasn’t got his boots on yet but hopefully he will do that next week some time. He will be back on the grass and in training. I think it’s still what we said, which is six weeks from when he did it.

“He is progressing well and is probably ahead of schedule but let’s hope we don’t need him urgently.”

Mowbray has also urged Slovakian full-back Marek Cech to stay patient as he awaits his first Premier League start. The £1.4million summer signing from Porto has found long-serving defender Paul Robinson impossible to budge from the team.

But he played 90 minutes for Slovakia in the 2-1 win over Poland on Wednesday and Mowbray has told him he will get his chance for the Baggies.

Mowbray said: “I like Marek a lot. He is a good man and a super professional. I could mention Marek and two or three others who are worthy of playing in the team and yet can’t get in at the moment.”