Last Updated: Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:54
Steve Clarke allowed Yassine El Ghanassy to leave West Brom half way through his season-long loan because he could not get in the side.
The Baggies boss snapped up the 22-year-old winger from Belgian side Gent during last summer's transfer window, but he barely featured in his first team with just one Capital One Cup start and two substitute appearances.
And with no Premier League outings on the horizon, Clarke decided to send El Ghanassy back to his parent club who subsequently loaned him out to Dutch side Heerenveen at the end of January.
Clarke feels the player was better off going to a club where he would get more playing time, while it is very unlikely that he will be making a return to the Hawthorns next season.
Clarke told the Birmingham Mail: "I would say it looks probable that he won't be here next season.
"Beyond that I couldn't say whether Gent will want to have him back or leave him in Holland.
"Our team started the season well, there was no place for him in the starting XI and his time off the bench was really limited as well.
"He just couldn't break into the team.
"He's a young player who moved to another country and different team, didn't get the chance to play and his confidence went down a little bit.
"As a winger he is a confidence player and we just felt in January, rather than keep him until the end of the season and have him miss out and not play many games, it was an opportunity for him to go and play."
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