Diaby Cheikhs all the boxes for Slaven Bilic at West Brom
Slaven Bilic believes Cheikh Diaby now has the platform he needs to fulfil his undoubted potential after joining Albion.
The 19-year-old came through the youth ranks at the acclaimed Le Havre academy in France but left the club in the summer after his contract expired.
Diaby reached an agreement to sign for Valencia during the summer but that deal fell through when the Spanish giants changed their manager.
And that led to him spending a week on trial with Albion where he went on to impress Bilic.
The pacey forward, who will initially join up with the under-23s, signed a contract until the end of the season with the Baggies earlier this week.
That deal includes the option of a further 12 months.
And Bilic described the decision to brining the youngster in as a “no-brainer.”
“He is young, he has got pace, he has got strength and he has got talent,” the head coach said.
“It was a good opportunity for us and a great opportunity for him.
“It’s a great platform for him to improve and become a player.
“It was a no brainer, it doesn’t cost us a lot – practically nothing. So it was a win-win situation for both of us.
“He needed a chance at this level. He is very young, he is 19.
“He needs to come into the shop window at a top club in a good league.
“And for us it’s always nice to have the opportunity to get a player who is 18 and had great potential.
“Now it’s down to him and us to fulfil that potential.”
