Arsenal full-back Kieran Gibbs could get a fresh challenge to revive his Premier League with both West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United keen on his signature.
The England international earned just eight starts during the recently concluded league campaign with Nacho Monreal being the preferred option on the left side of the backline.
Arsene Wenger did opt for a change to the 3-4-2-1 formation later on in the season, but this still didn’t help Gibbs as his continuous injury problems led to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain filling up at left wing-back in the FA Cup final against Chelsea. According to The Mirror, the Gunners graduate could earn a new lease of life in England with Tony Pulis keen on luring the full-back to the Hawthorns.
Pulis failed to clinch a deal with Leicester City for Jeffrey Schlupp last winter after the Ghanaian opted to pursue a move to Crystal Palace, and the manager is now on the search for an experienced option, who could replace Allan Nyom for the left-back position.
Nyom has primarily featured as a right-back for most of his career, but Pulis has nevertheless placed him in an unfamiliar position in the defence owing to the lack of options to sufficiently replace the Cameroonian in the starting lineup.
With Sead Kolasinac due to arrive on a free transfer, Gibbs’ playing time is likely to be reduced further, and he could well opt for a fresh challenge elsewhere with his Gunners deal due to expire in the summer. The 27-year-old was once reckoned as the best left-back in the country, but injuries and the lack of game time have hindered his prospects of retaining a role in the Three Lions squad.
Gibbs has amassed an impressive tally of 229 appearances for the FA Cup holders since making his first-team debut as an 18-year-old in 2007.