West Brom table £9m bid to sign centre-mid – report
West Brom have joined the race to sign Fenerbahce’s Ozan Tufan and have submitted a bid, according to Turkish outlet Takvim.
There are reportedly several admirers of the central midfielder, with Premier League rivals Everton and Crystal Palace among them.
The Eagles are said to have made an approach to sign the 25-year-old, but West Brom have also made contact.
Takvim report that both clubs have been pushed back in their offers of £9million, with the asking price set at £13.4million.
The two clubs are expected to raise their bids, despite suggestions that Albion have just £2million available to spend this month [Telegraph].
Good fit for Allardyce
Tufan possesses several positive attributes and we believe he is the type of player Big Sam ought to be targeting.
The centre-midfielder has the versatility to play at right-back as well as right-midfield, though six goals in 22 games this campaign shows he has an eye for goal.
That could allow Allardyce to utilise Tufan in a similar vein to previous players he has got the best out of, such as Kevin Nolan.
At 25 he could still be yet to hit his peak, too, while he also has strong leadership qualities, as his captaincy of Fenerbahce attests to.
Furthermore, the hard-working midfielder was handed his Turkey debut at just 19 and has already amassed 54 caps.
Such experience and mental qualities could improve the Baggies, and that’s without mentioning how good he is on the ball.
Per WhoScored, Tufan has enjoyed an average of 1.2 successful dribbles per game, and a passing accuracy of 82% – only four West Brom regulars score higher in that department.
A fee of just over £13m may seem steep considering the club’s current predicament, but with Premier League safety on the line Tufan is a gamble worth taking.
In other West Brom news, Allardyce looks set to make his first signing following a big development on Thursday.