Carlos Corberan will 'remain engaged' with West Brom project says Andy Johnson

Corberan is plotting for his first full season at the helm after the side he inherited in the Championship relegation zone in October fell just short of a play-off place on the final day.

It is understood Leeds United, where Corberan under-23s boss and coach to Marcelo Bielsa, remain admirers of the Spaniard, and reports have linked him to the post following the Whites’ Premier League relegation under Sam Allardyce.

But ex-Wales international Johnson said: “I think – and I don’t know because I haven’t had a conversation with Carlos about it – that he is at the beginning of a exciting project for him.

“I don’t think he’s the sort of bloke that would jump ship from that.

“I think his passion for West Bromwich Albion is there for everybody to see. Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener and Leeds is a hell of a job, the expectations to bounce straight back, what they will all expect and demand is quite a job.

“He’s three-quarters of a season into his job here and I think he seems happy. He won’t have enjoyed missing out on the play-offs, he’d have wanted that as we all would, but I know he’ll be the sort that the morning after Swansea he’d be working on next season and who’s coming in.”

There is yet more upheaval at The Hawthorns with last week's revelation that chief executive Ron Gourlay, who had a strong relationship with the head coach, has tendered his resignation.

Corberan, 40, was subject of Leeds interest mid-season. The Whites eventually appointed Javi Gracia, after Albion’s head coach penned a new deal, with more financial protection for the Baggies in case of a departure.

“I think he’ll see the task here as a project over a period and would love to get us promoted. You can only ask for progress, if you said play-offs next season, that would be progress. We certainly won’t be favourites for promotion with the teams down,” Johnson added.

“I don’t think he’d want to walk away from a job half-done.”