Slaven Bilic backs Karlan Grant to fire West Brom to Premier League survival

After drawn-out negotiations with Huddersfield, Grant finally signed a six-year deal with the Baggies last week.

Now Bilic has to decide whether or not to hand him his debut against Burnley tonight – with the head coach struggling for options up front.

It is not known whether Callum Robinson will be eligible to play after he came into contact with someone with Covid-19 while on international duty.

Under government rules, the striker has had to isolate at home for 14 days.

But he has since tested negative for coronavirus, with Albion waiting on government guidance as to whether he could return to training.

Albion will hope Robinson will be able to play after Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney, Sheffield United’s John Egan and Bristol City’s Callum O’Dowda all featured for their clubs over the weekend despite being in a similar position.

The Baggies, though, are definitely without Hal Robson-Kanu, who will miss the next month with a broken arm.

Charlie Austin, meanwhile, has been out of favour all season.

Whether he features tonight or not, though, Bilic is delighted to have Grant in his ranks.

And he is also pleased the forward has put pen to paper on such a long-term deal.

“He (Grant) offers pace, he offers finishing, he offers energy and he offers everything a good centre-forward should,” Bilic said. “He was our target last January so it was a long one and, finally, we are very happy to get him.

“He wanted to come. From day one he was determined to come to us.

“He didn’t take us as one of his options, he wanted to come.

“He is a young player, at 23 he is a good age. But he has some experience, even in the Premier League.

“The six-year deal shows how much we believe in him and it shows from him that he doesn’t see us a stepping stone to something else. He sees his this as the club for his long-term future.”

Meanwhile, Albion and Forest are still in the dark as to whether Kamil Grosicki will be allowed to join Chris Hughton’s side on loan.

Forest have been chasing the Poland international all summer, with another move for the 32-year-old collapsing earlier in the window.

According to reports in his homeland, Grosicki’s wage deamnds were a stumbling block for Forest.

The winger also wanted assurances of a two-year deal if Hughton’s men go on to win promotion.

On deadline day, though, Forest relented and decided to agree to Grosicki’s terms.

But it is believed the paperwork for the deal was submitted 21 seconds after the deadline

It is now up to the FA to decide if they will ratify the deal. It is understood if they don’t, Forest will appeal the decision.

Grosicki joined Albion from Hull for a cut-price £800,000 back in January.

But he has made just four starts for the club.