Tony Pulis says Jonny Evans is well worth the £30million that Manchester City were not willing to pay.
West Brom kept hold of the Northern Ireland centre-back this summer, despite big-money bids from City.
Blues boss Pep Guardiola wanted ex-Manchester United stopper Evans but would not meet Albion’s valuation after failing to offload Eliaquim Mangala.
Evans, 29, is now in line to face City when Guardiola’s men visit the Hawthorns on Wednesday in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
And a relieved Pulis is backing the stopper, signed from Old Trafford in August 2015 for £6m, to take his game to new heights.
Pulis said: “We’re pleased that value is that value — and I’m even more pleased we never took it.
“Jonny is a top player. He said he was a West Brom player until anything changed and he’s remained a West Brom player, thank goodness.
“I think he’s done well here in lots of respects. He’s become a better defender. He’s always technically been a good centre-half but he’s become a better defender.
“The responsibly now of being captain will take him on again. He’s a very fit lad, he picks up one or two injuries, but he is a fit lad and Jonny has got a lot more in the tank. He’s a lad who could play well into his 30s.”
Nacer Chadli may also play on Wednesday, after failing to get a move away in the summer.
The unsettled Belgian winger refused to go on the club’s pre-season boot camp to Austria and fancied a switch to Swansea.
It added to the transfer-window headaches for Pulis, who admitted: “Nacer was getting bombarded with stuff left, right and centre — and [so were] one or two more.
“It wasn’t just Chadli’s situation, it was Jonny’s situation and other people.
"There were one or two other players who had come and seen me as their agents had said there were other people involved and people interested.
“It is the feeding season. They get that window to feed and they are at it, non-stop. You have to manage it, it is not easy — and you have to manage it within the group because it’s important you keep all that together.”