Middlesbrough Keen On West Bromwich Albion Star: Should Pulis Go All In?

As per latest reports by Bristol Post, Middlesbrough are keen to lure West Bromwich Albion veteran, Chris Brunt, to the Riverside Stadium in the summer. Tony Pulis has worked with Brunt in the past when he was the Baggies’ manager.

Fact File

Brunt emerged through the youth ranks of the Smoggies but after he was elevated to their senior side, he couldn’t cement a place for himself. He was initially loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday and was then permanently signed by the Owls. After making a name for himself at Hillsborough, he was brought to the Hawthorns in the summer of 2007 and has proven himself to be one of the best signings at the club.

Attributes

The 33-year-old is a versatile player and this is arguably his strongest suit. He is capable enough to ply his trade anywhere on the left. The amount of experience he has under his belt is also pretty impressive and given that he is acclimatised to English football, his know-how would be a huge asset.

Brunt is a brilliant crosser of the ball and is a set-piece specialist as well. He might not possess blistering pace at the age of 33 but he nullifies that by his exceptional ability to read the game.

Season So Far

Brunt has managed 15 starts and 4 substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this season and in the process, he has mustered 6 assists. Besides, he has made 1.4 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 1.5 clearances and 0.2 blocks per game on an average. However, his pass completion rate of merely 68.8% has been far from convincing.

Why Should Middlesbrough Sign Him?

Pulis has added a lot of freshness to Middlesbrough and his side are likely to appear in the playoffs. To improve his side next season, he will need to add more experienced players like Brunt. With the axe of relegation hovering over West Bromwich Albion, a move to Boro should appeal to Brunt given that they are on a rise and also considering that he started his career there.

Statistics Credits: WhoScored