Ben Gibson has struggled to break into the Burnley side. (Getty Images)
According to Lancs Live, Burnley defender Ben Gibson has been linked with a move to Newcastle United. Newcastle manager Steve Bruce wants to sign him on loan in January transfer window before completing a permanent move in the summer.
Gibson has failed to break into manager Sean Dyche’s starting XI since his arrival from Middlesbrough at Turf Moor at the beginning of last season for a club-record £15million. He has struggled to break the Ben Mee and James Tarkowski partnership at the heart of the Clarets’ defence.
Gibson has made just one Premier League appearance this season so far which is equal to his number of league appearances in his first season at Turf Moor.
He scored a goal in the only 62 league minutes he played last season while also got his name in the referee’s book. He had the opportunity to impress Dyche in European football last season but the 26-year-old failed miserably.
Gibson started in two Europa League games last season and accumulated three cards in those appearances. He received two yellow cards and a red card to blow away the given chances.
However, his performances for Middlebuorgh show he has the potential of rising to the heights of a Premier League defender. During the 2016-17 season, he featured in all the 38 Middlesbrough’s Premier League matches.
He scored a goal and set up another in those games. Furthermore, the most important was that even though Middlesbrough were relegated during the campaign he helped them in keeping 11 clean sheets that season. He even kept the discipline and received just four yellow cards.
Bruce has preferred a five-man defence with three central defenders this season. Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles and last season’s top scorer in the current squad Fabian Schar have started in all the league games so far while Bruce has shuffled Paul Dummett and Ciaran Clark for the third spot.
Clark has started in the last two game weeks and has also provided an assist in their 1-0 win over Manchester United. They were unlucky to keep a clean sheet in their clash against Chelsea after Marcus Alonso break the deadlock in the 73rd minute.
Dummett, on the other hand, has failed to perform up to the manger’s expectations. He started in the first seven weeks and managed just two clean sheets in those games. He also conceded 13 goals in those appearances.
With such performances, Dummett has already lost his chances to be in Bruce’s starting XI and bringing in Gibson on loan will be a great move by the manager to keep the competition at the central defence.
Gibson can also come in if any of the players get injured. If he takes up his chances to prove his worth then Newcastle may sign him on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window.
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