Burnley reject second Watford bid for Gibson
Reports claim Watford have failed with a second bid to sign Burnley defender Ben Gibson before the 11PM deadline.
Burnley rejected a loan offer from Watford on Monday but the Hornets were hoping to get a deal over the line on deadline day with improved terms.
Reports suggest the two Premier League clubs remain ‘poles apart’ as time runs out for the defender to complete a switch.
Gibson has struggled to make an impact at Turf Moor since joining from Middlesbrough for a joint-club record fee of £15million in the summer of 2018.
He put pen-to-paper on a four-year contract but his chances with the Clarets have been extremely limited.
Ben Mee and James Tarkowski have got the two starting berths in the heart of defence locked down and Gibson played just 63 minutes of Premier League football during his debut season.
The 27-year-old has yet to feature in 2019-20 and Watford were hoping Burnley would be open to him getting regular football elsewhere.
It appears Sean Dyche is happy for the defender to depart on a short-term basis but a difference of opinion in terms of wage structure has stalled a potential switch.
Craig Dawson and Craig Cathcart are the preferred central defensive pairing at Vicarage Road with Christian Kabasele offering cover.
However, Nigel Pearson doesn’t have many other players to provide depth if injuries strike in the second half of the season.
Watford have also announced that Austrian international Sebastian Prodl, who won their Player of the Year award in 2017, has left by mutual consent.
“I am just grateful to have Watford on my CV, I am moving on now but I am glad I have been here. Watford will always have a place in my heart.” 💛
We can confirm that the contract of Sebastian Prödl has been terminated by mutual consent.
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 31, 2020
The 32-year-old has been sidelined by a string of injuries this term and his only appearance in the league came in the goalless draw with Sheffield United on October 5.
Prodl’s departure suggests that Pearson could be confident they will come to an agreement with Burnley over Gibson in the final hours of the window.
