Zhang Yuning makes first club appearance for more than 18 months
Albion’s forgotten striker Zhang Yuning has played his first competitive club fixture for more than 18 months.
The 21-year-old, who was bought for £6million in the summer of 2017, came off the bench for Ado Den Haag over the weekend.
He played the last 13 minutes of the 3-2 win over PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie and hit the post.
It was the Chinese striker’s first senior appearance for a club side since April 2017, when he turned out for Vitesse Arnhem in the same league.
Zhang joined the Baggies on a three-year deal in July 2017 and was immediately sent out on a two-year loan to Werder Bremen.
But after failing to get into the side throughout the whole of last season, the Bundesliga club cut short his loan spell after one year.
Zhang then joined Dutch side Den Haag in June this year on a season-long loan but he suffered a ligament injury playing for China's under-23s at the Asian Games in August.
He scored three times in the tournament before picking up the injury.
Zhang has now returned from his lay-off and has made his debut for Den Haag.
He is unable to play in the top two tiers of English football at the moment because he cannot obtain a work permit while China are ranked outside the top 50 countries in the world. China are currently ranked 75.
Because he’s unable to play for the Baggies, his transfer raised eyebrows last summer.
Albion insist the £6m spent on the striker came out of owner Guochuan Lai’s pocket, rather than club funds.
It is looking increasingly likely that Zhang will fail to ever play for the Baggies.
If that is the case, Lai may attempt to recuperate some money on Zhang by selling him to a Chinese Super League club.
He has two goals and nine caps for the Chinese national team.