West Bromwich Albion forward Karlan Grant says he never thought his loan spell at Cardiff City last season was the end of his Baggies career and is enjoying his “fresh chance” at the club.
The 27-year-old’s future at The Hawthorns was in some doubt at the start of last year with the Bluebirds keen to sign him permanently in the January window.
After that failed to materialise, Cardiff agreed a loan that summer for the 2023-24 campaign during which Grant played 39 Championship games and scored six goals.
But Grant has worked his way back into Carlos Corberan’s West Brom plans this season, featuring in all nine of their Championship matches, starting eight of them.
“I had conversations with the gaffer and the club and it was best for me to leave at that time,” Grant told BBC Radio WM, looking back to last year.
“No regrets. I played lots of games and was enjoying my football again and it’s put me in good stead for this season.”
Grant’s first six months at the club saw Slaven Bilic sacked two months in, to be replaced by Sam Allardyce who could not stop the slide to relegation from the Premier League.
But his first full season in 2021-22 brought 18 goals in 44 league matches, despite playing under two more managers as Valerien Ismael and Steve Bruce lasted six and eight months respectively.
Following Corberan’s appointment in October 2022, Grant had to be more patient for regular starting opportunities for the rest of that season.
Those came during his stint in south Wales and Grant says he feels he made the most of his time there ahead of his return to the West Midlands.
“I wasn’t really thinking it was my last game for Albion – I had a couple of years left on my contract,” Grant said.
“Just playing games has put me in a good position for this season. I’ve been raring to go and I wanted to come back prove a point.
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