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Chris Brunt to leave West Brom at end of season

Albion have confirmed club captain Chris Brunt will leave at the end of the season when his contract expires.

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Chris Brunt (AMA)

The 35-year-old will depart The Hawthorns having established himself as an all-time great during a 13-year stay with the Baggies.

Brunt is 13th on Albion’s all-time appearance list having turned out 419 on occasions, while he also holds the club record for Premier League appearances (269) and wins (76) and is in the Premier League’s top 10 for assists (49).

Since joining in a £3million deal from Sheffield Wednesday in 2007, the Northern Ireland international has won two promotions and will hope to secure a third before his summer exit.

He was a key component of the team which saw the Baggies become an established Premier League club between 2010 and 2018.

The current season has been by far the quietest for Brunt, who has made just nine appearances in all competitions under Slaven Bilic.

Having nearly joined Stoke in January, his departure from the club was agreed following amicable talks this week with sporting director Luke Dowling.

“It’s the end of a long road during which we have all watched Chris become one of our great servants and players,” said Albion chief executive Mark Jenkins.

“I think it has been a great ‘marriage’ – Albion have been good for Chris and Chris has been good for Albion.

“In a perfect world, he would be able to say farewell at a packed Hawthorns and receive the ovation he deserves. Hopefully, we can see that happen at some future point.

“But for now, Chris should know he has the admiration and appreciation of everyone at the club for his contribution.”

Dowling added: “In one sense it was a difficult conversation to have with Chris because I knew we were saying goodbye to a genuine club legend.

“But it was also made easy by Chris’ professionalism and acceptance of the situation. In this day and age, to have stayed 13 years and logged more than 400 games, most of them at the highest level in the country, is astonishing.

“But football always moves on, Chris accepted that. He is disappointed not to have played more this season but he has not given up yet on making a contribution over these last nine games and has committed to finishing off the campaign doing everything he can to help us achieve our aims.”