West Brom are targeting Aden Flint as a potential replacement for Manchester City target Jonny Evans but is the Bristol City defender worth £8m?
Aden Flint of Bristol City during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match against Watford.
Arsenal and Manchester City have been linked with Evans and the Baggies look to be preparing for life without the Northern Ireland international after sending technical director, Nicky Hammond, to watch Flint in action during the 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat to City.
Jonny Evans of West Bromwich Albion celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal with Ahmed El-Sayed Hegazi during the Premier League match against Brighton and Hove Albion.
Yet with no Premier League experience and turning 29 in July, is the Robins centre-back worth £8m and what relegation-threatened West Brom need should they lose their skipper?
Simply put, the answer is yes. Signing Flint would be something of a gamble and there is a chance he would struggle to make the step up to the top flight, but there is also little more the Englishman can do to prove himself in the Championship.
This season the former Swindon Town man has been instrumental in the Bristol side’s surprise march up the table, with Lee Johnson’s team currently fifth despite a home defeat to Norwich City at the weekend.
Lee Johnson, manager of Bristol City, during the Sky Bet Championship match against Norwich City.
A towering and physical presence at the back, Flint is also very good on the ball – as shown by his impressive record of six goals from 22 league outings this term, many of which have not been headers.
He impressed at the Etihad Stadium in the aforementioned cup clash with the Citizens, picking up the man of the match award, and has also looked more than a match for top tier outfits beaten by the South West side in cup competitions in 2017/18; including Crystal Palace, Stoke City, Watford and Manchester United.
Aden Flint of Bristol City celebrates scoring his side’s first goal but it is later disallowed during the Carabao Cup Quarter-Final match against Manchester United.
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