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West Brom manager Slaven Bilic has hailed Chelsea for letting Conor Gallagher join his side on loan.

Gallagher is highly rated within the Chelsea camp and impressed on loan in the Championship last season, first at Charlton Athletic and then Swansea.

The 20-year-old who recently signed a five year deal with Chelsea, will now spend the rest of the season on loan with Slaven Bilic’s West Brom.

Bilic who knew Frank Lampard from their time at West Ham, has hailed the Chelsea manager for letting Gallagher join them.

“We’re delighted,” said Bilic. “I know the player from the Championship last season. He made a huge impact, first at Charlton and then Swansea.

“We were there – it’s not like somebody has told us ‘it’s a difficult league and there’s a player there’ – we were there.

“There was a chance in January we might’ve taken him before he went to Swansea, but it was very difficult and we couldn’t do it.

“When we saw the opportunity, we did it straightaway. I have to thank Frank Lampard – I phoned him, he’s a top man. We’ve known each other since West Ham.

“He helped us with that, but the boy wanted to come. He’s ready to make the next step in his career and he’ll give us something we don’t have, that dynamic in the midfield.

“I’m expecting a lot from him. It’s a new level for him; we’re gonna help him, he’s going to help us. Hopefully it’ll be an exciting and pleasant journey.”