BIG DEAL TO KEEP EVANS
Jonny’s pay bonus
TONY PULIS wants to hand captain Jonny Evans a bumper new pay deal to keep him at West Brom.
The Baggies rejected an £18m bid from Manchester City and £23m from Leicester this summer for the 29-year-old defender, while Arsenal were also interested.
Evans has two years left on his £50,000-aweek contract.
Asked if he wants to give him a new deal, boss Pulis said: “I hope so.
“I think everybody at the club would like to see him tied down.
Blossomed
“It will be interesting to see what Jonny wants to do.
“It’s all about the three parties, as it always is in a transfer – the buying, the selling and the person in the middle.
“Jonny’s been fantastic at this club. He’s really bought in to what we try to do, the way we try to play.
“He’s blossomed with it, he’s become a better player.”
For now Pulis, 59, is just relieved to see the former Manchester United centre-half stay. “Yes, it was very important and I’m pleased Jonny stayed. Arsenal and Man City were interested, and if they’d have met the valuation, then it might have been a different situation.
“He’s a very down to earth lad, he’s very level-headed.
“He’s been at one of the great clubs in world football for a long time, so going to Man City or Arsenal wouldn’t have fazed him, and I don’t think the speculation fazed him.”
New £7m signing Kieran Gibbs is set for his debut today at Brighton after joining from Arsenal last week.
Pulis said: “Gibbs is a Rolls Royce type of player.
“He has fantastic pace and ability and I’m sure he’ll be a player the supporters will like a lot.”