Middlesbrough were thumped away at Chelsea on Monday night but Ben Gibson won’t have harmed his reputation with the West Brom manager watching on.
West Brom boss Tony Pulis may have travelled to Stamford Bridge on Monday night purely to scout the Champions-elect ahead of their clash with The Baggies this weekend.
Yet, according to the Birmingham Mail, there may have been another ulterior motive for Pulis’ presence in the capital as Chelsea steamrolled Middlesbrough 3-0.
After all, Boro defender Ben Gibson has been heavily linked with a move to The Hawthorns of late.
The Telegraph reported last month that West Brom were interested in the 24-year-old, who was recently rewarded for a fine debut Premier League campaign with a maiden call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
However, with Boro chairman Steve Gibson valuing his nephew at £30 million, around about the same price put on the head of Burnley counterpart Michael Keane, The Baggies would have to double the club-record fee they paid for Nacer Chadli last summer.
Therefore, The Telegraph adds that West Brom will ask Middlesbrough to reduce their asking price. And with Monday’s battering at Stamford Bridge confirming their relegation, they are surely no longer in a position to play hard-ball. West Brom, therefore, are in a stronger position than ever.
Gibson has proven in a solid campaign that he could be a Premier League defender for years to come and, with West Brom needing a long-term replacement for the 37-year-old Gareth McAuley, the former England youth international is a natural fit.
And though Gibson hardly had his best game at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea turned on the style, a committed display in the face of adversity won’t have harmed his reputation in the eyes of the watching Pulis.
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