Report: AC Milan join hunt to sign West Brom first-team player
AC Milan have joined the race to sign West Brom full-back Nathan Ferguson as the teenager’s contract at The Hawthorns starts to wind down, according to the Sun.
The newspaper claims that Milan sent scouts to watch Ferguson, 19, play in West Brom’s 1-1 draw against Wigan on Wednesday night.
The defender’s contract expires at the end of the season but it is understood that clubs from abroad can make an approach to sign him on a pre-contract basis as early as January.
As well as AC Milan, Marseille and Hamburg are also said to be hot on Ferguson’s heels while Tottenham and Crystal Palace are the two English clubs linked.
Ferguson’s impressive form in the Championship this season makes it no surprise to see his name being linked with top clubs in England and Europe.
Slaven Bilic handed the teenager his senior debut in the 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the campaign and after assisting one goal, the defender was named as Sky Sports’ man of the match.
He’s since gone from strength to strength but if West Brom are going to lose him for next to nothing next year, they either need to sell up in January to a club that’s willing to pay for him or get him tied down to a new contract.
Let’s not rule out the possibility of a new deal being agreed because Rekeem Harper was in the same situation last season before he put pen to paper on fresh terms.
However Ferguson is a first-team regular for West Brom and has appeared 18 times in the Championship this term.
He is a much more exciting prospect than Harper was.
In other West Brom news, Ian Holloway has hailed one Albion player for his performance against Birmingham.