West Brom likely to miss out on Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson.
Middlesbrough manager Garry Monk has said that he doesn’t expect any more players to leave the club before the transfer window closes.
Several clubs have shown interest in Rudy Gestede and Grant Leadbitter in recent weeks, while star defender Ben Gibson has also been targeted.
“We don’t want to lose anyone,” said the 38-year-old Boro manager, as quoted by The Northern Echo. “The squad has been achieved by design, and the players that are here now are ones that we want to keep. It’s more the incomings that we are focused on now, rather than any more outgoings.
“We’ve said it clearly, and the owner has said it himself – anyone that we want to keep, we can keep. We don’t have to sell anyone. That’s the way it has been, and we’ve only moved out players that we wanted to move out. It will always be that way.”
According to reports from the Mirror, a trio of Premier League clubs – Manchester City, Leicester City and West Brom – are interested in signing Gibson, who is valued at £20 million.
Of these three clubs, West Brom showed genuine interest in signing the Boro defender. The Baggies have had two bids rejected for the 24-year-old this summer, but the Mirror reckons they still retain the interest.
According to reports from Sky Sports, West Brom’s first bid was around £15 million while the follow up offer was in the region of £20 million for the 24-year-old defender.
Despite reported interest, it is Monk’s doughty refusal to wilt under pressure that suggests that Boro Boro are determined to keep hold of their prized assets.
With Manchester City glancing eye on West Brom’s star defender Jonny Evans, Tony Pulis can swiftly abandon the plans of signing Gibson as his replacement. He will have to look for options elsewhere in case Evans leaves the club.
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