Steve Bruce: Kenneth Zohore free to leave West Brom

The Baggies frontman joined the club in 2019 but has not made a competitive appearance for almost a year, since the 6-0 League Cup drubbing by Arsenal.

Dane Zohore, 28, is currently struggling with a tight groin and has been unable to force a regular role in the Albion frontline in his three years at The Hawthorns. He has made just seven starts – and five in the league.

Boss Bruce has now stated it is in the best interest of Zohore for the ex-Cardiff man, who has just a year left on his contract, to move on.

"It's a struggle for Ken," Bruce admitted. "He's got a bit of a tight groin at the minute.

"We don't think it's anything serious but he's back on the pitch tomorrow. It's unfortunately an ongoing saga.

"I think it's fair to say that he probably needs to move on, and find a new home. It's not gone well for him here. He's come through pre-season, he's got a tiny niggle but he's OK."

Zohore joined his Baggies team-mates for the pre-season trip to Portugal but time is running out on his Albion career.

The manager added: "Yeah he's trained, he's gone to Portugal and he's tried everything he can to get himself right. For his sake, and everybody else's sake, he just needs to find a new home. He needs to kick-start his career again, that's what he needs."

Bruce, meanwhile, believes quality from the bench will become more pertinent than eve due to the introduction for the season of a new five substitutions rule.

Daryl Dike and Grady Diangana gave Albion fresh impetus when introduced at Middlesbrough last week. Bruce also flagged the consistent productivity of versatile squad member Adam Reach over a number of years.

"That's exactly what we need and what I'm talking about," he said. "I think you'll see that more with the five subs. I saw Sheffield United make three in one go the other night, I think that'll become more common than it's ever been.

"To be able to bring on Dike and Diangana certainly helps. We've got Reachy too, which over the last five years Reachy is in the top five for assists with Swifty and Wallace. He can only help us, we've got a little bit of quality off the bench."