Championship outfit Middlesbrough are on the lookout for former West Ham United defender James Collins who recently was released from the club via e-mail. The move would have certainly left a sour taste in the Welshman as he would have expected a face to face deal especially after being at the club close to 11 years (In 2 spells).
Tony Pulis’ side missed out on qualifications to the Premier League after they lost the playoff semi-finals to Aston Villa narrowly and the experienced manager will be looking to bring in reinforcements for next season to mount a better challenge. Boro has been one of the first teams to learn about the veteran defender’s whereabouts and Pulis is said to be keen on having an experienced warhorse like him at the back.
The 34-year-old will certainly not be a long-term option but Pulis can look at that once he gets his team into the Premier League. His team is certainly short on defensive options. Ben Gibson and Daniel Ayala have been the preferred centre-back pairing and 20-year-old Dael Fry is the only backup option.
An injury to one of their preferred defenders will certainly hamper their chances and as a result, Tony Pulis is keen on bringing in a centre-back in the summer transfer window.
The former Welsh international has been around the blocks and was one of the fan favourites with the Hammers. West Ham released a statement on their website which said,” We appreciate just how popular James is among supporters but with the appointment of a new manager, we felt together the time was right to go our separate ways, His bravery and commitment were never called into question and he has played his part in establishing the club in the Premier League since his return in 2012.”
However, he was left stunned by the way in which he was shown the door as he expected a senior club official to inform about the news face to face.
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Tony Pulis’ side will certainly be richer as the defender has an experience of close to 400 league games and has represented his country 51 times. The Welshman is known for his brave and no-nonsense defending and he can be a threat in the opposition half during set pieces.
The Teessiders are in need of a centreback and signing this free agent will certainly be a shrewd move by them in the transfer market.
