West Brom youngsters to join Portugal pre-season camp

The Baggies fly out to Portimao tomorrow for a 10-day work out – with a behind-closed-doors game against League Two Leyton Orient scheduled for Monday, July 4.

Joining the first team on the trip will be youngsters Taylor, Ashworth, Ingram and Castro who all impressed for the under-23s last season.

And they will head to Portugal eager to try and force their way into Steve Bruce's plans ahead of the new season.

The boss has previously said he will run the rule over Taylor in pre-season before making a decision on his short-term future.

It is understood the towering centre-back is a loan target for a host of clubs in League One and League Two.

But the camp could also be crucial for full-backs Ashworth and Ingram.

Bruce is understood to be considering dipping into the market to add cover for Darnell Furlong and Conor Townsend at full-back.

But the trip to Portugal will give Ashworth and Ingram a chance to stake a claim – with under-21 Wales international Ashworth having made his first team debut on the final day of last season.

Castro too will also be hoping to show he is a genuine midfield option for the 2022/23 campaign.

"We’ve got some youngsters who are doing very well," Bruce said.

"Four of them will come away with us in pre-season and see what they can bring to the group.

"Quevin (Castro), (Zac) Ashworth, (Caleb) Taylor and (Ethan) Ingram. They will all be travelling with the first team this weekend.”

Meanwhile, Bruce said he still has the same enthusiasm for football now as he did back when he began his playing career in 1979.

The boss was speaking after Albion returned for pre-season on Thursday.

“It's been a relatively short break when you consider the internationals only finished 10 days ago," the boss said.

"These days it doesn’t stop. It’s my first day back for the 45th year in a row, but I’ve still got the same enthusiasm for it.

"You see all the young people flying around the training ground and it’s good to see.

"They’ve come back in good nick and a few of them have come back in really good nick.

"(Grady) Diangana, he looks as if he’s bulked up a bit and Granty (Karlan Grant) has lost a bit of weight and looked a million dollars."