Kyle Bartley 'close' but Carlos Corberan reveals real West Brom target for veteran defender

Kyle Bartley is "very close to returning" to action for West Bromwich Albion - but will not be ready for this weekend's home game with potential promotion rivals Norwich City (3pm).

Carlos Corberan confirmed the positive prognosis on his veteran centre-back during his pre match press conference, and revealed that the 33-year-old could even be fit for Albion's midweek trip to Sunderland on Tuesday after his recovery from a knee injury. However, Preston next weekend remains the more realistic target.

Asked how Bartley was, the Albion boss said: "He is close. He is very close. Today (Thursday) he has been working with the team and tomorrow he will do part of it too.

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"Let’s see. Normally he should be ready for Preston, the third game we are going to play this week, so he is not going to be ready for this weekend.

"The target is to be ready for next weekend. I am very happy with how I saw him today. If he completes the training on Sunday and Monday with the group, it is a possibility for Tuesday, but the target was the weekend not during the week. One thing is the target and another is his reaction.

"For me the most important thing is that when he comes back with the group he stays with the group not that he comes back and moves out again."

Bartley's injury, along with the absence of partner Semi Ajayi, has seen Corberan move Torbjorn Heggem in from left-back to play alongside Everton loanee Mason Holgate.

Of the latter, Corberan added: "I think it was important for him to do exactly what he has been doing. He has been preparing for the opportunity. When the players prepare for an opportunity normally they can use better the opportunities when they arrive. When the player is not preparing for the opportunity when they are not playing, it is more difficult.

"Of course there are still things I am talking about with him, things we can do better - but not only him, every single player. In a four he has played more minutes as a right-back than centre-back in his career. He needs some adaptation and for me he has been managing this process well."

Elsewhere, Paddy McNair is more serious and won't be back for another month. Corberan explained: "The situation is different, he is a more long-term injury. His availability will be for the last week of December."

And of left-back Gianluca Frabotta, he added: "He has been training during the international break. The normal training sessions. So he is one player that we have had, and if he is OK in training on Friday then he will be in the squad.

"Deago Nelson was the player from the under-21s who was involved instead of him (against Hull)."

Of the longer term injuries, centre back Semi Ajayi is expected to be back in March and striker Daryl Dike January.