Daryl Dike could be reunited with former Barnsley manager Valerien Ismael as West Bromwich Albion step up their chase for a classic number nine, as reported by the Express and Star.
As the Baggies kicked off the new Championship campaign with a 2-2 draw away to promotion rivals Bournemouth, the Ismael influence was clear to see from the first minute.
West Brom were intense, aggressive and ferociously full-blooded, fighting back from 1-0 and 2-1 down to claim a hard-earned point at the Vitality Stadium.
Alex Mowatt, meanwhile, already looks like the driving force at the heart of midfield, steaming into tackles and setting the tone as he looks to emulate the impact he made under Ismael at Barnsley.
If there is one thing West Brom are missing, however, it is an old-school, 6ft-something number nine capable of leading the line in the way their new manager wants.
And Dike, compared to former West Brom star Romelu Lukaku by old Tykes teammate Jordan Williams, looks like a more natural fit for an Ismael attack than the speedy Callum Robinson or the tricky Karlan Grant.
Is Daryl Dike reuniting with Ismael at West Brom?
USA international Dike scored nine goals in 19 games as an unfancied Barnsley side forced their way into the play-off picture last season.
“It was something unbelievable,” Ismael told the Yorkshire Live after Dike nearly sent the Birmingham City net into orbit with a thunderbolt finish against the Blues in March.
“In my career, in 29 years in football… it was an unbelievable strike and an unbelievable feeling for Dike.”
The Orlando City striker, who has also been linked with a whole host of Premier League clubs including Everton, Leeds and Manchester United, is understood to be valued at around £17 million by the MLS outfit.
Too much for West Brom of course.
But, according to the Express and Star, another loan move could be on the cards for a man who looks like the missing piece of the Albion jigsaw.
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