Valerien Ismael: West Brom forward Karlan Grant maturing on and off the pitch

Grant, who is Albion’s top scorer this season with eight goals, celebrated the arrival of a baby boy last month.

The 24-year-old struggled for form last year after arriving at The Hawthorns in a £15million deal from Huddersfield.

But he has been integral for Ismael’s side this term – with the boss believing he has matured as a player and person as the season has gone.

“He’s actually a funny guy – he talks a lot,” Ismael said when asked what Grant is like as a person. “He is a very, very good guy. He’s just become a father, so it’s another step in his life.

“You start to see the change. He has started to become more calm, more focused, he knows that everything makes sense in his life.

“Everything he does, he does it for his son.

“I think now he’s in a mature process, he’s no more a young player and he’s starting to now become a more mature player.

“The fact he is now a father will help him to grow up quickly.

“I hope we can see this on the pitch, because he has everything to take his performance to the next level.

“It’s his decision now, to put it all on the pitch. I told him this when I came in. Believe in your skills, believe in yourself as a player.

“It’s the same, after four months, but I still believe he can do more.

“It’s my expectation that he can get to the next level.”

While Grant has impressed in front of goal this season, Ismael believes there are still plenty of areas where he can improve.

And the boss pointed to the mistake the forward made at Fulham – when he lost possession in the build-up to the Cottagers winning a penalty – as an example of where he can do better.

“The game against Fulham for example – I spoke about the penalty but when he lost the ball in the middle,” Ismael continued. “It’s a big area he can improve, especially when he gets the ball with the opponent at his back to be stronger.

“He has the quality, and he needs more consistency in those tight areas, in one v one situations he can be better for us.

“He needs to take the right decision in more dangerous areas for us.

“I think he needs to improve that area.

“The rest, it’s all about coming into the last third, in one v one situations and it’s his job to make it happen.

“In that area we’re on track. The other area, to avoid losing the ball too easy, it’s a massive part where we need to work with him.”

Ismael says now he’s hit the goal trail, Grant is determined to continue scoring in a bid to fire Albion to promotion.

“I know KG now,” the boss added. “He has big motivation and he is determined to stay that way, to keep the momentum going, to continue to score with consistency.”