West Brom boss reveals striker's soaring popularity among team-mates

Heggebo, 24, has been a big hit since his £4.7million move from Brann in his homeland during the summer.

He is yet to score in four Championship appearances but has an EFL Cup goal to his name. Heggebo has become popular with fans and team-mates for dogged performances leading the line for Mason's men, none more so than a tireless display in the 1-0 victory at Stoke last time out.

His early Albion performances earned a maiden senior call-up for Norway during the current break.

“I thought he was incredible on Saturday," Mason said of Heggebo's performance against Stoke.

“I will take that over him scoring a goal and not performing like that. All the players felt it and they said that to him.

“He is a striker of course so people will look at his numbers, but Bo will score goals, I have no doubt about that.

“The job he has done for the team has been incredible, it really was."

Heggebo's bullish performances are typical of a player who used to go by the nickname 'The Hulk' at his boyhood and home city club Brann, where he also boasted a one-in-three goal record over a handful of seasons.

At The Hawthorns, the Norwegian will vie with last season's top scorer Josh Maja and Daryl Dike in Albion's frontline. The Baggies were content enough to release fringe player Devante Cole in the final hours of the transfer window.

Maja has returned with cameo appearances having spent the entire second half of last season sidelined following surgery on a stress injury. Dike is working his way back from his latest issue, a thigh muscle injury.

Head coach Mason added of Heggebo: “Sometimes when you sit above (from his position in the stand at Stoke) and see it - it doesn’t show with the numbers - but it shows within the feeling of the group.

“It is all good me saying it but the players feel it too.

“Bo will get just as much confidence if not more from that feeling he gets from his team mates.”