Scouting report: Everything you need to know about West Brom new boy George Campbell

We caught up with Canadian sports reporter Elias Grigoriadis, who writes about Campbell's former club CF Montreal, about what the Baggies can expect from the new £1.5million recruit.

Campbell is said to be a versatile defender - a centre-back who may be able to play on the right, is that fair?

EG: "That (centre-back) is his position - that's where he played the majority of his time here.

"It was a back three and he played on the right side of that. So he did have the freedom to get forward a little bit.

"One of the better parts of his game is that he drives forward with the ball a lot. If he sees free space he will take it, multiple times in a game, 20, 30 or 40 yards. He does it pretty regularly. He's got the legs to cover a lot of ground, especially when he picks up speed.

"I can't speak to his ability to play wide (as a right-back) when it comes to putting a cross in, combining with the winger and some finer points, but versatile is a very good word. He doesn't play as a traditional centre-back."

So Campbell is more accustomed to play as part of a centre-back three than a central defensive pairing?

EG: "His entire time at Montreal has been in a back three/back five with wing-backs, that was the club's set-up - until the manager was fired five games into this season.

"So for 20 games or so he's played in a back four. When the interim came in it was a complete switch to 4-2-3-1/4-3-3. Arguably he's doing even better.

"Montreal ended last season very strong. He was doing OK at the start of this season in a back three - but the second it switched to a back four he excelled. He really took it up a notch. He was one of the few that took to it very well."

He sounds like an adventurous central defender with the ball, you don't see too many of those...

EG: "It was a bit of an issue when he first played regularly with Montreal, because he wasn't as reliable with his position. He'd go on an adventure with the ball and think 'to hell with my spot'.

"He would do a lot of really good stuff but when it didn't work out it could be disastrous.

"That's probably the biggest step he has taken in the last year or so. He's much more selective with his moments, his execution has got better as well, but it's more the decision-making and awareness he's improved on.

"It was less of an issue in a back three, but if he made those errors in a back four then the entire right of defence would be exposed."

How would you best describe his physical profile?

EG: "Physically he is very impressive. He's tall, good in the air, very strong. He will play against beefy number nines and shrug them off like they are not there.

"He's not (notably) quick, but he is fast. He's leggy, when he gets going. Turning on a dime might not be his strong suit but covering ground and running ground he probably won't get outpaced, unless against the quickest."

He only scored the one goal for Montreal, would you expect him to be more of a set-piece threat?

EG: "He's not this overpowering aerial threat. At the same time he's very good defensively at marking his men.

"He left and in the next two games Montreal have played the team conceded from corners. He's very good in his own area.

"You're only as good as your service sometimes. He got his head on a load of them, so he'll definitely win headers and make the keeper work. But he is very strong at defending set-pieces."

It has been a bad season for Montreal, but supporters seemed disappointed about his exit.

EG: "The season has been disastrous, there's no sugar-coating it. His first year here was difficult because he got injured right away with a contact injury.

"He came back and struggled with injury and finding his rhythm.

"In his second year, last year, he made it his own on the right side of the three. The team did OK and made the play-offs.

"This year was the exact opposite, but he was by far and away the best player. There are still 10 games left of the season he won't be there and I'd bet he'd win most valuable player and defensive player of the year."