As per one of the latest reports by The Sun, Leicester City have put Middlesbrough’s defender, Ben Gibson, on their radar and are keen to prise him out of the Riverside Stadium in the summer. The Smoggies are perceived to have slapped a price tag of £20million on his head and apart from the Foxes, West Ham United and Everton are also monitoring him closely.
Gibson emerged through the youth ranks of Boro and he brushed himself during his loan spells with Plymouth Argyle, York City and Tranmere Rovers. Besides, he has represented England at Under-17, Under-18, Under-20 and Under-21 levels as well. His developmental processes have been pretty good and no wonder why some of the elite clubs of the county are pursuing him.
Middlesbrough are in contention for promotion to the Premier League and Gibson has been one of the finest and most consistent players for them this season. He has been rock-solid at the back and there is no denying that he reads the attacking endeavours of the opposition in a notable manner. A strong and resolute centre-back, the 25-year-old is an astute passer of the ball and operates with a lot of calmness and composure.
He holds the ball really well, makes shrewd tackles and blocks and has accumulated plenty of experience of English football under his belt. In 43 appearances in the Championship this season, he has scored 1 goal and registered 3 assists. Moreover, he has made 0.7 tackle, 1 interception, 6 clearances and 0.5 blocks per game on an average, which is really appealing.
Leicester City are currently placed at the 9th spot in the Premier League table, having garnered 44 points from 35 league outings. With their latest fixture ending in a 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Crystal Palace, the loopholes in their back line have surfaced. To improve their stature next season, Claude Puel must act in a cunning manner during the summer transfer window to beef up his squad.
Gibson would be a good option for Leicester City. The former Premier League champions have been targeting him for quite some time now and it would make a lot of sense if they actually lure him to the King Power Stadium in the summer. Although Middlesbrough are expected to be reluctant to strike Gibson off their books in the summer, the Englishman might fancy a move if his side fail to get promoted to the top tier of English football.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored
