Chaplow to join Saints on loan

West Brom midfielder Richard Chaplow is to join Southampton on a three-month loan from Wednesday.

The England Under-21 international is eligible to join Saints as the Coca-Cola Championship emergency loan window opens on Tuesday.

Chaplow has struggled to secure a first-team spot since moving from Burnley 13 months ago and Baggies manager Bryan Robson believes he will benefit from regular football.

Albion have the option of recalling Chaplow after the initial 28 days of his loan should they require his services.

Robson said: “Chappy is going down to Southampton to play some first-team football. I just feel this is important for him.

“He has taken a lot of things on board in training from what myself and Nigel Pearson have been asking him to do. Now it’s time for him to put those things into practice in matches.

“Chappy hasn’t really got the experience at the moment for me to play him in Premiership games. But I do think he is going to develop into a very good player.

“Going to Southampton and playing first-team football is part of his development. Hopefully, he’ll come back a better player.”

Chaplow, who turned 21 last Thursday, became one of Robson’s first captures following a £1.5m (€2.2m) move from Turf Moor.

But the fierce competition in midfield – intensified by Nigel Quashie’s arrival from Southampton – has restricted him to only four Barclays Premiership starts this term.

Chaplow scored his first goals for the club in the 3-2 FA Cup defeat at Reading on January 18.