Cedric Kipre having to bide time at West Brom

Kipre was snapped up from Wigan in August for a cut-price £900,000 due to the Latics’ financial woes.

But while he started the League Cup games against Harrogate and Brentford, he is yet to feature in the Premier League.

Bilic has a wealth of centre-back options at his disposal, with Branislav Ivanovic, Semi Ajayi, Kyle Bartley, Dara O’Shea and Lee Peltier also on the books.

That has meant, despite training well, Kipre has had to bide his time.

And the boss said he will consider sending the centre-back out on loan in January if he still isn’t getting the minutes he craves.

“I spoke with Cedric recently, he is training really well,” Bilic said.

“He played a couple of cup games, he is there, but it is a pecking order that we have. We have Branislav, we have Dara, Ajayi, Barts, we have Peltier, and we have Cedric.

“We have a number of players in there.

“I told him to be fit. He is training really good, he is a great guy. He is fit, he is focused. He is a good player.

“You never know with form, with the situation with coronavirus, and injuries, you never know. You have to be ready.

“That’s what you have to do, and then wait for the chance.

“January isn’t that far. I spoke to him a week ago, let’s say, and January is only in a couple of months.

“Then we’ll see what the situation is. Is it going to improve, his status, here? Or is he going to go on loan? Nobody knows right now.

“But whatever the outcome might be he has to be fit and in good form, and that’s what he’s doing at the moment.

“I can’t promise anything, not just to him but all the players. There are a few players, who are in his position, with players ahead of them.”