Transfer News:
West Bromwich Albion might have been relegated from the Premier League but the club is targeting an immediate promotion. Darren Moore, the club’s current manager believes that they have it in them to win back the Premier League status next season and hence are keen to keep the core of the squad intact.
Moreover, the club seems to have rejected possible bids from the likes of Burnley and West Ham for players like Craig Dawson, Solomon Rondon and Jay Rodriguez too. However, the toughest nut to crack for them would be veteran custodian Ben Foster. Ben, who has been with the club for the past seven years is an extremely influential figure in the squad and was one of the better performers in their horrific league campaign last time around.
According to a report, he and Dawson want to move to the Premier League but West Brom’s hard stance over them has not gone down well with the players. Hence, they apparently rejected to join their pre-season training in Portugal and are in England instead. Foster has attracted interest from Manchester City but West Brom wants to keep him tied down with the club.
Foster: Player Profile
Ben is an extremely experienced goalkeeper and has plied his trade in England over the past decade or so. He has also represented England in the international level, previously having been groomed in Manchester United’s youth academy too.
He is strong and commanding, often coming out of his line to thwart the immediate danger. Foster’s saves from short-distances are amazing too, as he has cat-like reflexes and can keep the ball out of the net for long periods of time owing to his immense concentration too.
He arranges the wall during set pieces, is vocal and communicates with the defenders and can collect crosses while maintaining a certain authority inside the box too. Foster delivered an excellent performance at Old Trafford in April last season, when West Brom defeated United and eventually handed over the title to Pep Guardiola’s team too.
Should Manchester City make a move?
Claudio Bravo has undoubtedly regressed over the years and City hence look keen to add more depth to the goalkeeping department as such. Foster would be an amazing addition to the squad, as his experience, commanding presence and knowledge of the English game would help him settle quickly to the new setup. However, his future, as it seems, is completely in West Brom’s hands currently. From the player’s perspective, it is easy to understand why Ben wants to move to Manchester City now. In the fag end of his career, this might be his last opportunity to grab a good paycheque and hence Foster does not want to play in the Championship. It would be interesting to see how this transfer pans out.
