Striker stance as West Brom forward linked to moves away

Reports claim an expectation Cole, 30, will move on from The Hawthorns this summer but it is understood there have been no firm approaches for the frontman.

Cole was a free transfer recruit from Barnsley last summer and struggled for game time in his debut campaign in the Black Country - with no Championship starts and 14 cameos from the bench.

He faces stern competition in the forward department this season with Daryl Dike and Josh Maja having fought back to fitness and the £4.7million arrival of Aune Heggebo.

Cole has trained throughout Albion's pre-season and been used in pre-season friendlies to date, albeit not from the off.

Now under the new management of head coach Ryan Mason, the striker will be assessed during the summer as Mason runs the rule over his new squad.

There has yet to be any serious discussions around interest in the striker's services. Cole scored 18 goals for previous club Barnsley the season before last.

That prolific campaign helped him secure a move to The Hawthorns and it is thought that the centre-forward is willing to push for his opportunity having worked his way up the Football League ranks.

The striker's sole competitive start in any competition for the Baggies came last August when Carlos Corberan's much-changed side crashed out of the EFL Cup at the first hurdle at League Two Fleetwood.

Cole will likely have another run out under Mason in Saturday's friendly at League One hosts Lincoln.

United States international Dike has led the line in three of Albion's four friendlies so far, against Port Vale, Dynamo Kyiv and Blackpool having battled back from a lengthy injury absence. Line-up details for a behind-closed-doors defeat at Fulham's training ground this week were not given.

Dike returned from more than 12 months out with a torn Achilles in the spring. Maja is continuing his rehab and expected to be ready for the season-opener, while Heggebo has only just arrived from Norway.