Watford forget Gibbs and target Friend
WATFORD have turned their attentions to Middlesbrough defender George Friend after refusing to meet Arsenal’s £15million valuation for Kieran Gibbs.
Standard Sport reported earlier this month that the Gunners may be forced to lower their asking price for Gibbs as a host of interested clubs believed it to be too high.
Watford were among those interested but have since focused on other left-back targets, with Friend now top of their shortlist.
Middlesbrough are willing to do business at around £8m. Watford are yet to make a formal offer at that level but senior figures at Vicarage Road are considering a bid.
Friend, 29, started 20 Premier League matches last season as Middlesbrough were relegated from the top flight. He has been at the club since 2012 and is primarily a left-back but can also play at centre-back, which adds extra appeal for new Watford boss Marco Silva.
Arsenal are looking to offload several fringe players as Arsene Wenger reshapes his squad having signed a new two-year contract following their FA Cup Final win.
Gibbs is on £60,000 a week and it is believed he is seeking as much as £80,000 a week to move clubs — a figure, even in an inflated market place, which puts him beyond reach of most teams outside the top half of the Premier League.
Wenger is continuing to pursue a landmark deal for a centre-forward, having not given up hope of signing Monaco teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe in what would be a worldrecord transfer fee.
Alexandre Lacazette is the club’s preferred alternative as Arsenal face much less competition for him with Lyon willing to do business at
60m euros (£52.7m).