Why Nacer Chadli owes West Brom boss Tony Pulis a slap-up dinner

The 27-year-old midfielder was distraught when he was left out of Euro 2016 because he wasn't playing regularly for Tottenham Hotspur, who are tomorrow's visitors to The Hawthorns.

So when Pulis was wooing Chadli in the summer, he promised he'd get him back into contention for his country.

Even though Mauricio Pochettino told the midfielder he was still in his plans, the Belgian wanted guaranteed first-team football, and so he signed for the Baggies for a club record £13million.

After some impressive performances in an Albion shirt, he was recalled to the Belgium squad by Roberto Martinez and even featured in their recent World Cup qualifier in Gibraltar.

"When we signed him he wasn't anywhere near the Belgium side," said Pulis. "I told him in the first couple of weeks he would be back in the squad and if he was he would have to buy me dinner.

"So he owes me dinner. Where? I will leave it to him. I think he is more expensive than I will ever be."

Chadli has been a revelation since his move to the Black Country, scoring three goals and laying on two more in his first four games.

His signing was a huge coup for Pulis, and plugged the gap in the number 10 position that crippled Albion so much last season.

"I just brought him up here, talked about the club, took him out for dinner and spoiled him," revealed Pulis.

"He wanted the opportunity to play and show what he could do and he needed that to get in the Belgium squad.

"He is looking at the Belgium squad and looking at the players they've got - it's a very good squad.

"To be part of it you have to be playing in the first team and doing well and that's what he's doing. He has been fantastic for us."

Chadli is coming up against his former club tomorrow knowing he can help break their undefeated record, the only one left in the Premier League.

"I'm sure he will enjoy the game," said Pulis. I think he's got great respect for the manager there and the players he has played with. He has a lot of good things to say about Tottenham. He just wanted to play.

"Wash everything away, and as a player you should want to play every week because it goes so quickly.

"I'm sat here now and it's never going to come back for me. The players sometimes don't realise that one day it's never going to come back for them.

"They should grasp the moment and try to play and perform every week, week in, week out."

Pulis reckons Chadli has hit the ground running at The Hawthorns because Albion are well-drilled team, just like Spurs.

"The big thing was giving him the opportunity to show what he could do within a structure," said Pulis.

"He has worked at Tottenham and they're very structured in the way they play so he wanted to play in a structured team and know is responsibilities.

"He has been given responsibility and he has got in and around Salomon and played in the pockets that we want him to play in and he's shown himself to be a very good player.

"He is really enjoying his football. I think he's found a good dressing room so he is nice and settled."