Brighton & Hove Albion are confident of signing Bristol City central defender Adam Webster, according to reports.
The Seagulls are close to a £25million club-record move for Webster to beef up their defensive artillery, it has been claimed by The Guardian.
Their current record transfer is the £17million which they had paid to Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar for Iranian international Alireza Jahanbakhsh last summer.
Webster had an excellent season in the Championship during the previous campaign and Aston Villa are also keen to make him sign on the dotted line.
Albion have submitted an initial bid of £20million, plus add-ons. Despite the fact that no deal has been penned so far, his exit from the ranks of Bristol City looks imminent.
Earlier this week, Bristol City manager Lee Johnson confirmed that there had been bids made for the defender and it will be interesting to see where he features next season.
Adam Webster: Profile
Webster emerged through the youth ranks of Portsmouth and went on to represent their senior side. While he was on their books, he also mustered a loan spell at Aldershot Town.
In the summer of 2016, he was signed by Ipswich Town and after a couple of seasons with the Tractor Boys, he was lured to the Ashton Gate for a fee of around £4million.
He played a crucial role for his side last season and was a handy asset for them. He mustered 44 appearances in the Championship and scored 3 goals.
His defensive statistics were impressive as he made 1.4 tackles, 2.1 interceptions and 4.3 clearances per game on an average, which is why his value has increased manifold.
Webster has certainly proved his mettle in the English second tier and a move to the Premier League could be the next big step in his career he is looking for.
Why is Webster worth the outlay?
The 24-year-old is a strong and resolute centre-back and is an astute reader of the game. He loves to dominate his opposition in the air and is a genuine asset for his side during set-pieces.
Webster is a decisive tackler and is comfortable in possession. Besides, he has a decent pace to cope up with the opposition attackers in one-vs.-one situations and is on the right track as far as his development is concerned which signals the possibility of further improvements once he plies his trade in the top-flight.
Albion’s star central defender Lewis Dunk has been heavily linked with Leicester City this summer and if Dunk eventually leaves the Amex Stadium, Webster would be a good signing replace him looking at the long term scenario.
