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Middlesbrough won't listen to offers under £20m for West Brom target Ben Gibson

Middlesbrough are expecting a bidding war for Albion target Ben Gibson this summer and won’t entertain any opening offers below £20million.

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Albion target Ben Gibson

The North East side are still resigned to losing their star defender this window after relegation from the Premier League, despite appointing Garry Monk as manager yesterday.

Baggies boss Tony Pulis has made the England international, who is in Gareth Southgate’s squad for today’s match against Scotland, his top centre-back target of the summer.

Gibson is keen to return to the top tier, but it’s highly likely Albion will be forced to wait to see if any top-six clubs snap him up first.

Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester City all scouted the 24-year-old last season, although the champions have showed the most interest in him.

Boro appointed Monk as head coach yesterday, but even though the former Leeds boss will try to encourage his new captain to stay, sources in the North East say it’s unlikely to succeed.

“Look, for now, all I'm thinking about is this England camp,” said Gibson, nephew of Boro chairman Steve Gibson. “I've got an opportunity to show myself against and with the best players from our country.

“So I can't think past that or about anything other than that. That would be disrespectful to the badge, to these players and to the opportunity that Gareth has given me.”

Pulis only has four senior defenders at the club after Jonas Olsson was released in March, and the Baggies boss is eager to bring in a centre-back and a left-back this summer.

The club are believed to be edging closer to an agreement with Leeds United over left-back Charlie Taylor.

The 23-year-old is a free agent this summer but the Baggies don’t want to risk the uncertainty of a tribunal bill, and have been negotiating a compensation fee with the Championship club.