West Bromwich Albion will be aiming to take big strides this season as they are now in the best possible position in the summer transfer window, after finishing in the top half of the table last season. They will naturally fight for a place in Europe and Tony Pulis is getting some impact players to the club this summer, to help them achieve the same.
However, he has not been able to get his top transfer target in Ben Gibson to the club this summer. Middlesbrough are reluctant to sell the English defender with Gary Monk claiming that only an extraordinary offer can convince him to sell. So is it time for West Brom to shelve their interest in the 24-year-old? Here are three alternatives they should look at if they decide not to pursue his signature.
Kevin Wimmer (Tottenham Hotspur)
Spurs are one of the strongest outfits defensively in the Premier League at the moment but Pochettino is looking for a centre-back, who can act as an able backup to the Belgian duo in the first team. This search has started because of the fact that Kevin Wimmer was not able to impress him last season.
The 24-year old Austrian is a decent fit for the English style of play and is tailor-made for Tony Pulis’ system at the Hawthorns. Surely, he is an option if the Baggies miss out on Gibson this summer.
Andrea Ranocchia (Inter Milan)
The Italian international spent the previous season on loan at the KCOM and though he put in some solid performances, failed to keep the Tigers up in the Premier League for another season. He is now back with the Italian club, who are yet again searching for suitors and West Brom have already been linked with a move for him this transfer window.
At 29, he may not be a long-term option like Gibson, but with all the experience under his belt, Ranocchia is one of the best options for West Brom currently available in the transfer market. His reading of the game is pretty good, and he did show that whilst at Hull, even though they went down.
Chris Smalling (Manchester United)
Another not so popular choice for West Brom, is Manchester United outcast Chris Smalling. The addition of Victor Lindelof to the squad at Old Trafford has pushed Smalling down the pecking order and Jose Mourinho is reportedly ready to off load him for the right price.
The Baggies continue to be linked with a move for him and with Smalling’s attributes ideal for Pulis’ style of play, this could be a match made in heaven. He may not be in the best of form at the moment but is a more than a decent option in place of Gibson this summer.