Steve Bruce has fired a warning to one of West Brom's Championship rivals after reported interest in one of his players.
Republic of Ireland international Callum Robinson has been linked with a return to one of his former employers, Preston North End. Lilywhites chief Ryan Lowe has made positive sounds about the possibility of Robinson returning to Deepdale, where he has spent three separate spells in the past.
Earlier this month, Lowe said of the 27-year-old forward: "He’s a fantastic player, has had a fantastic career and Preston North End fans love him, so why wouldn’t anyone be interested in Callum Robinson. If he becomes available, of course we’d be interested, like everyone else would be.
"Callum is one of probably 25 strikers up and down the country that other clubs would look at as well. It’s no different for us, we want to be linked with good players and be targeting good players and Callum certainly is one of them.”
Reports have linked Robinson with a loan move back to Lancashire but Bruce insists nothing concrete has yet come in from North End.
"I keep hearing the rumblings but there is nothing to really report on it," the former Newcastle manager said. "They can make as much noise as they want but what they have got to do is put their money where their mouth is."
Robinson scored eight times last season for the Baggies in what was their lowest league finish in more than two decades. Bruce, appointed as Valerien Ismael's successor in February, could only guide the Midlands side to 10th spot in the Championship - eight points adrift of the play-off places.
Robinson joined Albion in 2020, having initially signed on loan. He arrived from Sheffield United as part of a swap deal involving striker Oliver Burke. Robinson, who has 29 Republic of Ireland caps, has 15 league goals in 87 outings since arriving at the Hawthorns and still has three years to run on his contract.
Last year, he became one of the few active professional footballers to come out and give his reasons for not getting vaccinated against Covid-19. Last October, he said: "I haven’t been vaccinated, no. That’s my choice at this moment in time.
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"It’s obviously annoying that I’ve caught it twice but I haven’t been vaccinated. Further down the line, I could change my mind and want to do it, but at this moment in time I haven’t been vaccinated, no."
When Robinson was asked for his reasons behind opting against getting the jab, he added: "I just haven’t. I think it’s your personal choice and my choice at this moment in time, I haven’t been vaccinated. I wouldn’t force people to do it, it’s your choice and your body."
