Check out the latest Albion transfer gossip ahead of the opening of the transfer window on January 1.
THE football Rumour Mill is grinding away ahead of the opening of the transfer window on January 1 and inevitably West Bromwich Albion are featuring in the paper talk.
RUMOURED OUT
Both the Daily Star and the Guardian have reported Bolton and Wigan`s interest in Albion left back Paul Robinson, with a fee of between £2-2.5m being suggested. Can`t see this one happening somehow, particularly after the on-off-on-off Wigan transfer saga earlier in the season. The knee problem that prevented that deal from going through then won`t have gone away in the meantime.
Our erstwhile ginger leader is also reported to have his beady eye on Zoltan Gera, a player he signed for our first Premiership stint. This deal may well rest on the player, since Tony Mowbray has said often enough that he won`t stand in the way of players who don`t want to be at the club. Gera is out of contract at the end of the season and it may be time to cash in if he doesn`t intend to sign a new deal.
RUMOURED IN
Rumours regarding signings seem little more than kite flyers so far. Various papers are linking us with strikers Leroy Lita (Reading), Bobby Zamora (West Ham) and Nicky Maynard (Crewe Alexandra). Of the three, Maynard would seem the most likely, though he`s tied to a long-term contract and Crewe are likely to want a hefty fee, which may cool Albion`s ardour.
Barnsley`s 24-year-old left-sided midfielder Brian Howard has also been linked with a move the The Hawthorns and this one could have some mileage. The club`s leading scorer this season with eight goals in 20 Championship appearances, Howard`s two-year contract runs out in the summer and the Tykes may be persuaded to cash in now. But do we need another midfielder?
More rumours as and when they surface.