West Brom Tipped to Make Third Bid for Star Middlesbrough Defender Ben Gibson
West Bromwich Albion are reportedly ready to make a third bid in their ongoing attempts to sign Middlesbrough and England centre-back Ben Gibson, with the Baggies having apparently already ready seen two offers rejected by the recently relegated side.
According to the Daily Mirror, West Brom are looking at potentially paying £20m for Gibson, a fee that would make the 24-year-old a huge new record buy for the club.
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Tony Pulis has added towering Egyptian centre-back Ahmed Hegazy to his squad so far this summer after securing a loan from Al Ahly. But it is a position that needs further strengthening after the departure Jonas Olsson last season and rumoured Leicester interest in Jonny Evans.
Manchester United pair Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have also both been linked with possible moves to the Hawthorns in recent weeks, with the latter thought to be playing for his Old Trafford future under Jose Mourinho during pre-season.
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Teesside-native Gibson is currently Middlesbrough's longest serving player after making his first-team debut in 2011. He is also the nephew of long serving Boro chairman Steve Gibson.
West Brom have set new transfer records in each of the last two summers after the captures of Salomon Rondon for £12m in 2015, and Nacer Chadli for £13m this time last year.
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Other than Hegazy, ex-Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez is the only major addition for the Baggies since last season. Chinese international Yuning Zhang joined from Vitesse Arnhem but has already been loaned to Werder Bremen in Germany while he awaits a UK work permit.
