'We value him' – West Brom boss hands vote of confidence to Super Eagles striker Maja

West Bromwich Albion manager Ryan Mason has expressed strong confidence in forward Josh Maja, affirming the club’s commitment to the striker. 

Mason emphasised the importance of carefully managing Maja’s return to full fitness after an extended period on the sidelines, underlining the club’s belief in his potential impact.

The Nigerian international, who ended last season as the club's top scorer, sustained an injury during the campaign that required surgery in January.

Despite struggling with fitness, the Baggies boss remains optimistic about the Nigerian international's contribution ahead of the start of the Championship against Blackburn.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Mason said: "I think I mentioned it a week ago that he's had a hell of a long time out, and we have to get it right with him.

"We value him, and we know what he can bring to the table in terms of when he's fit, but also understanding it's a really long season, it's intense, it's relentless, and we want to make sure that when he's on the pitch, he stays on the pitch.

"He trained today so he's available for selection along with plenty of other players, so we'll assess that after this, and we'll see going into tomorrow."

Maja, who endured a difficult second half of the 2024/2025 campaign, will be hoping to rediscover the form that saw him finish as the team's top scorer.

As West Brom push for promotion to the Premier League, the striker will also be aiming to earn a recall to the Super Eagles squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in September.

Adeyemi Adewale

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