Baggies boss Pulis eyes Gignac and Ledley to give goals and guile
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West Bromwich Albion are eyeing summer swoops for Andre-Pierre Gignac and Joe Ledley, according to reports in the local and national press.
France international striker Gignac, is available on a free transfer this summer, and looks set to leave cash-strapped Ligue 1 club Marseille, along with other likely high-profile departures Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa and Ghana attacker Andre Ayew.
Speculation has surrounded the long-term future of Baggies academy product Saido Berahino, with top Premier League clubs rumoured to want him, and Tony Pulis does prefer a more physical centre forward option than the Burundi-born England call-up.
Albion are keen to recruit further forward options to supplement Nigerian duo Victor Anichebe and Brown Ideye, while Benin’s Stephane Sessegnon may be moved on. Gignac, 29, and former Pulis favourite Jon Walters have been touted as potential Bosman bargains to bolster their frontline.
Having netted 20 goals plus in each of the last two seasons, Gignac is in his prime and will be looking for a new challenge once his contract with Velodrome outfit Mareille ends.
Wales midfielder Ledley, meanwhile, was signed by Baggies boss Pulis when he was in charge of Crystal Palace in January 2014. The 28-year-old would be part of an engine room overhaul at The Hawthorns, with defensively-minded duo Youssouf Mulumbu and Claudio Yacob both seeing their deals up this summer, although the option of an additional year for both may be taken up.
Left-footer Ledley, 28, would add some balance to West Brom’s midfield, joining the likes of Darren Fletcher, Craig Gardner and James Morrison in their ranks. Counting Cardiff City and Celtic as former clubs, he is closing in on 500 career appearances in British football.
It is not yet known at this stage whether the chance to work with fellow Welshman Pulis would appeal to Eagles regular Ledley, who has Scotland counterpart James McArthur and Australia captain Mile Jedinak for company in the Selhurst Park side’s midfield under Alan Pardew.
