Departing Daniels signs new deal

Young Albion goalkeeper Luke Daniels has signed a new Albion contract – then immediately headed for a season at Tranmere.

Young Albion goalkeeper Luke Daniels has signed a new Albion contract – then immediately headed for a season at Tranmere.

The tall shot-stopper penned a two-year deal this morning, with a further year's option in the club's favour.

By this afternoon the 21-year-old was heading to Prenton Park for a season-long loan in League One, following a successful spell at League Two Shrewsbury last season.

The focus has been on youth at the Hawthorns, with England starlets George Thorne and Saido Berahino among 11 Albion academy youngsters to sign scholarship forms with the Baggies.

The intake is just one short of last year's record-breaking dozen recruits.

England under-16s players Thorne and Berahino are joined as scholars by Luke Connolly, Cahrlie Fowler, Cameron Gayle, Akil Grier, Ethan Mannion, Gez Mulholland, Liam O'Neil, Kemar Roofe and Jordan Tebbutt.

Academy director Mark Harrison said: "Over the last four years we have worked very hard and made good progress as an academy."