Middlesbrough value Ben Gibson at £25m and West Brom are preparing a third bid for the defender – but will it meet the asking price?
West Bromwich Albion have not given up hope of signing Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson and are preparing to make a third bid for the defender, reports Sky Sports.
The Baggies have already had two offers for the 24-year-old rejected, the latest believed to be in the region of £20m, but are ready to go back in after assistant manager Gary Megson admitted the club need five new signings before they start their Premier League campaign against Bournemouth on Saturday.
Gary Megson (R) the assistant coach of West Bromwich Albion looks on alongside manager Tony Pulis (L).
“There’s goings on,” Megson was quoted by the Birmingham Mail.
“People, I’m sure, don’t think we’re just sat on our backsides not doing anything.
“There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes and we just need to get them over the line.”
The Sun reported in July that Boro had put a £25m asking price on Gibson and it remains to be seen whether West Brom are willing to match that in their pursuit of the centre-back.
If so, it would be a new club record deal and almost double the previous amount – the £13m (BBC) they paid Tottenham Hotspur for Nacer Chadli in the summer of 2016.
Ben Gibson of Middlesbrough claps the fans after the game.
Gibson won many admirers last season with his impressive performances at the back in the English top flight, helping Middlesbrough to 11 clean-sheets and the 11th best defensive record in the division, despite their relegation.
With the World Cup coming up and the Englishman having been included in Gareth Southgate’s last two Three Lions squads, the Boro youth product believes he needs to be playing in the top tier to boost his chances of being at the tournament in Russia.
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