Roman Bednar has insisted he will rise to the challenge of securing a Premier League place as Albion continued their hunt for extra firepower.

Bednar began work at the Baggies’ Dutch training camp as he looks to grab a place in the starting line-up, for the opening Premier League match at Chelsea on August 14.

But the Czech Republic international insisted he will meet the challenge head on if head coach Roberto Di Matteo succeeds in landing a new forward in the transfer market.

Bednar, who opened his pre-season goalscoring account in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Kidderminster Harriers, said: “I view it positively as usual.

“If I’m not playing I will try my best to get into the starting line-up. Whoever comes in will be good for the club and we will see how it goes at the time. The gaffer knows the game and he is always fair to everyone.

“If he feels someone is on fire and has had a good week’s training he will give him a chance, so the onus is on every one of us to work and he will play us.”

Bednar ended last season in resurgent form, scoring regularly to help the Baggies clinch promotion from starting the season exiled from the club after admitting drug use.

His summer training was hampered by a hernia operation in May that wrecked his chances of an international comeback.

But the 27-year-old is confident of being fit and firing in time for the trip to Stamford Bridge.

He said: “Everything is cool and I am working hard. I do everything professionally and if I feel something I let people know, because I need to get through all five weeks without injury because I want to be really ready.

“I always think it’s a more mental thing in pre-season because it’s hard. Sometimes it is just running every morning so you need to be psychologically ready for it because it’s not easy, but it needs to be done.

“There is only one pre-season a year and I don’t really mind five or six weeks. I did a little bit over the summer but now we have three weeks of really hard work and I think that will be enough because of the way we train now.

“If the guys stay fit and don’t get injured it will be enough and we will be ready for the Premier League.”