Middlesbrough's hopes of re-signing Ben Gibson increase - Echo.

r00fie1

Well-known member
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/s...broughs-hopes-re-signing-ben-gibson-increase/

MIDDLESBROUGH’S hopes of re-signing Ben Gibson have increased as Burnley are struggling to come up with alternative options for the Teessider.

Gibson has no future under Clarets boss Sean Dyche, with his lack of involvement at the weekend underlining the extent to which he has been frozen out of the first-team picture at Turf Moor. Burnley played two separate friendly games on Saturday, with Dyche splitting his squad into two teams, but despite 27 different players being involved in the matches, Gibson was not named as either a starter or a substitute.

Dyche is determined to move the centre-half out of the club this summer, either permanently or on loan, but despite clubs across England and the rest of Europe being alerted to Gibson’s availability, Burnley are yet to receive a single viable offer.

Norwich City lodged an interest earlier this month, but the Canaries have opted to look elsewhere as they look to restructure their squad in the wake of relegation. A couple of Premier League sides are understood to have been interested at the start of the summer, but both have now identified alternative targets they are pursuing.

Gibson’s £15m price tag and wages of more than £40,000-a-week make it extremely difficult for the vast majority of clubs in the Championship to afford him, and having started the close season insisting they wanted the vast majority of the defender’s wages off their books, the Burnley hierarchy are gradually having to accept that will be all but impossible in the current climate.


As a result, Boro find themselves in a position where they could be able to put together a package that would be deemed an acceptable compromise (?), even though the indications earlier in the summer were that it would be rejected.

The Teessiders cannot afford to pay Gibson’s full wages as that would prevent them from being able to make further signings and remain within the parameters laid down by the Financial Fair Play rules, but it is hoped a deal could be struck (?) that would see Burnley continue to pay a sizeable proportion of the 27-year-old’s pay packet even though he was no longer playing for the club.

Having spent the latter stages of last season training at Boro’s Rockliffe Park complex, Gibson is open to the idea of rejoining his hometown club for the whole of next season before making a decision on his longer-term future next summer.

Neil Warnock has already signed Grant Hall, but the departure of Daniel Ayala, Ryan Shotton and George Friend since the end of last season means there are still defensive gaps to be plugged.

Warnock remains keen to make reinforcements in a number of different areas this summer, but his attempts to sigh a new goalkeeper have been frustrated in the last few days. Newcastle are adamant they will not be allowing Karl Darlow to leave, a stance that became even firmer when their first-choice goalkeeper, Martin Dubravka, suffered an injury that will rule him out of the start of the season, while Charlton Athletic are refusing to lower their valuation of Dillon Phillips, who is another Boro target.

Having returned from a training camp in Cornwall, Boro’s players will complete their pre-season preparations when they host Newcastle in a behind-closed-doors friendly tomorrow.
 
👍 A bit more positive transfer news is always good to read on a morning. Hopefully we can get that one over the line as Gibson must be super motivated to get playing again to show Dyche what he's missing out on.

I know everyone is worried about our lack of activity but there are still loads of free transfers without a club and as others have said its probably just agents and players being slow to recognise the new economic realities of post COVID footy. Brace yourselves for a late flurry, I'm still optimistic we can get plenty of new blood in before deadline day.
 
He won’t be at Burnley this season and wouldn’t be surprised if he’s holding out for a move back to us. Would be more surprised if he wasn’t playing for us this season than if he was.

Really hope we get Gibson, Roberts and Murphy on loan. Would leave us needing a LB, Striker and the luxury of upgrading the keeper.
 
That whole situation is genuinely baffling. How on earth does a player of his undoubted ability, Burnley's record signing no less, end up in the wilderness like that?

Madness! But I hope we can capitalise on it because he would instantly improve us once fit.
 
There must be a way we can get a package together vwhich covers his wages [though 40k a week is too much and could cause upset in the dressing room - especially as we have enforced a wage cap]. Burnley are being bluddy-minded and are not only wasting a damn good player - but their money too. Could "sponsorship" be part of the answer - just like local firms sponsor players in the lower leagues? Clearly, we arent going to cover 40k a week by sponsorship from Newboulds or anything like it. Would swapping Fry, plus cash, be a possibility? 2 million GBP`s wages a year is a ridiculous amount for any player [in my opinion] - its a buyers market now - im not saying Ben is greedy - but only the select few in the Premiership can afford big sums. In the Second division we simply cant sustain that amount of money.

Ben has Boro "in the blood" and no doubt would put his heart and soul into every game - and off the pitch. Hes an experienced pro - someone to lead by example. Hes a leader - we know that. He wont have to "step up" - its in his character. Cross your fingers and lets see what happens. #UTMB
 
I'm a massive fan but not only has he not had a pre season, he's barely kicked a ball in 18 months, going to take him a good few months to get up to speed.
 
I'm a massive fan but not only has he not had a pre season, he's barely kicked a ball in 18 months, going to take him a good few months to get up to speed.
You`re right. But, right now we have some gaping holes in the team and will have to gel pretty quickly if new players come in soon. Even if Ben played an hour or half a game to start with, hes well ahead of some of those we have currently on the books.
 
Not funny for Gibson, but pretty funny that Dyche's bloody mindedness is going to cost Burnley a fortune. By all accounts Gibson has been nothing but professional either. Rumours were he had the nerve to answer back once or something? Bizarre.

No doubt Dyche will be moaning about lack of funds again before the window closes, without a hint of irony.

He might have done an unbelievable job with Burnley, but what a massive w@nker that bloke is.
 
It is completely crazy what's happening to Ben Gibson. I can't see him being a bad influence or even having a bad attitude (he was nothing other than professional at Boro). For Dyce to want him, Burnley pay £15 million and then never really play him is just baffling.
 
He's a player I hope we get back, would definitely improve the squad, but I'll be worried if we enter the season only having signed 2 CBs.
 
There must be a way we can get a package together vwhich covers his wages [though 40k a week is too much and could cause upset in the dressing room - especially as we have enforced a wage cap]. Burnley are being bluddy-minded and are not only wasting a damn good player - but their money too. Could "sponsorship" be part of the answer - just like local firms sponsor players in the lower leagues? Clearly, we arent going to cover 40k a week by sponsorship from Newboulds or anything like it. Would swapping Fry, plus cash, be a possibility? 2 million GBP`s wages a year is a ridiculous amount for any player [in my opinion] - its a buyers market now - im not saying Ben is greedy - but only the select few in the Premiership can afford big sums. In the Second division we simply cant sustain that amount of money.

Ben has Boro "in the blood" and no doubt would put his heart and soul into every game - and off the pitch. Hes an experienced pro - someone to lead by example. Hes a leader - we know that. He wont have to "step up" - its in his character. Cross your fingers and lets see what happens. #UTMB

Rumour has it that Fry doesn’t want to leave, he’s happy and settled at Boro.
 
My guess is £20k a week would be available, but not £40k a week.

Ayala, Shotton, Friend wages were around £64k/week off the wage bill and only Hall has come in. Contracts were offered to Ayala and Friend.
 
Does no-one remember that Gibson was a liability and struggling in the Championship for us before he left. There must be better options out there rather spending money we haven't got on sentiment buys
 
Could this whole situation be Dyche getting one back on boro, never having got over the Chesterfield v Boro semi final, not sure if Dyche has had run ins with Steve Gibson in the past and ruining Bens career an act of revenge. No stories of ben having done anything out of order, ex Burnley players confirm Ben been nothing but professional. He has not had a look in at Burnley it's crazy. We could doa deal as they probably have not finished paying for him either.
 
Back
Top