SHOP EARLY FOR EVANS!
Baggies won’t get caught by deadline
ALAN PARDEW has told Manchester City and Arsenal that he won’t be selling £35m-rated Jonny Evans on deadline day.
West Brom boss Pardew has had a heart-to-heart with the central defender and told him he won’t be messed around with any last-minute moves.
Pardew has set a cut-off point of three days before the window shuts for clubs to make their move.
He needs to get cash in to do any transfer business and says, despite all the rumours, there have been no concrete bids for Evans.
Respect
“It would have been inappropriate not to have had a word,” said Pardew.
“I think we’ve got a good respect for each other and we looked each other in the eye.
“The thing with Jonny is not a new thing to this club – it was going on in the summer.
“It’s new to me, having just come here, but it’s been around for a ® while. I had a similar situation with Yohan Cabaye at Newcastle. He was definitely, definitely going – but he didn’t go.
“I will put a cut-off date on any transfer.
“That’s why I’d say three or four days before the window shuts and no later, if it’s a big transfer of an important player.”
The Baggies manager described today’s clash with Brighton as crucial.
Pardew said: “We’ve had a week to prepare, we’ve got no excuses going into it. We have got a game plan and we need to attack it with venom.
“I am desperate for this group to get a win.
“We’re begging the fans to come and make a noise. We’ve got no right to. They’ve been patient.
“We’re at a critical point and it’s not lost on us. If we lose, it wouldn’t mean we are relegated but it is a crucial game.
“We need to get some momentum and I would take a win no matter how it comes.
“This game won’t decide our fate but it would really help us. I’d take my first victory here in the Premier League, however it comes.”