Jonathan Leko has been likened to Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha by West Brom assistant coach Ben Garner.

Leko, 17, made his first-team debut for the Baggies last season and has played four Premier League games this term.

Assistant boss Garner insists the West Brom academy product is improving all the time and even compared Leko to a young Zaha.

England international Zaha has been one of the stand-out players for Palace since returning to his boyhood club from Manchester United in 2014.

Garner is quoted as saying by Express and Star: “Jon is listening and he’s learning and working hard to improve which is great,” Garner said.

“He’s got to add more productivity to his game. We’re working on his final ball, because talent-wise he’s fantastic, he can go past players.

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“He reminds me of Wilfried Zaha who I had as a young player at Crystal Palace, sometimes he comes out with the ball and you don’t know how he’s done it. It’s a very natural thing.

“But it’s that productivity after that, is it a cross, is it a pass, is it a shot? There’s no point beating three players and crossing it behind the goal or giving the ball away.”

Leko has been a regular for the U23 side recently and Garner admitted he struggled with consistency for the youth side.

“He’s played in the last three under-23 games,” he added. “Three weeks ago they played at the Hawthorns, and Jon put three crosses in all game, which is disappointing.

“Against Villa and against Stoke he was much better, he’s getting the ball in the box, he’s crossing off his right and left foot.

“But for the first team he grabbed the assist for Salomon Rondon’s goal at Sunderland. That’s what he’s got to keep doing.”

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