Arsenal
Arsenal & Chelsea Face Battle To Sign £30m-Rated Premier League Star
Arsenal and Chelsea will face stiff competition from Manchester City over the signing of Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson, according to reports.
The January transfer window is now closed but we can still look at deals that failed to get across the line and those being lined-up for the summer. Today, the race to sign Ben Gibson hots-up….
Arsenal and Chelsea will face stiff competition from Manchester City for the signing of Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson, according to reports.
Gibson has developed in to one of the most promising young defenders in British football since breaking in to the ‘Boro first team in 2013 having come through their youth system.
The 24-year-old is now a vital member of Aitor Karanka’s starting eleven after being virtually ever-present this season and he’s tipped to become a full England international after being a regular at U21 level.
Gibson’s performances have attracted interest from the upper echelons of the Premier League with the Evening Standard reporting earlier this week that Arsenal are showing a keen interest in the left-footed centre-back.
Despite on-going doubts over his future at the Emirates, Arsene Wenger seems to be planning ahead for next season and the Gunners boss could be eyeing Gibson as a potential long-term replacement for Per Mertesacker.
ESPN claim that Chelsea are also in the race to sign Gibson this summer with Antonio Conte needing to bring in another central defender with long-serving skipper John Terry set to end his association with the Blues.
However, it seems the London duo will now face further competition as ESPN state that Man City have also identified Gibson as a possible summer recruit as Pep Guardiola looks to add an English core to his squad.
City’s poor defence has let them down this season so Guardiola is going to need to strengthen his options this summer and a left-sided centre-half like Gibson would complement John Stones at the Etihad Stadium.
The youngster signed a new long-term contract at the Riverside last summer and Boro will be desperate to keep hold of him but they’ll struggle to do so if they are relegated back to the Championship.
We’ll have to wait and see how things develop over the coming months but the Evening Standard suggest the Teesside club will demand a fee in the region of £30m for Gibson’s signature this summer.
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Arsenal, Chelsea and City could easily afford that sort of money, especially with the new TV kicking in, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him move to a top club at the end of the season.
