West Brom after Ali Gabr and want Zamalek’s Egyptian defender on loan
ALAN Pardew is desperate to sure up his backline with the club sitting 19th in table. But he may face a tussle with Gabr's side Zamalek over cost of defender.
ALAN PARDEW is hoping to sure up West Brom's defence this January with a move for Zamalek's Ali Gabr.
The Egyptian defender was on the club's radar last summer and with the possibility of Jonny Evans departing the Hawthorns this month, Pardew is looking for reinforcements at the back.
It is understood that the 29-year-old will initially join on loan, with the possibility to sign when the summer transfer window opens.
However Zamalek are demanding at least a £750,000 loan fee, which West Brom are yet to offer.
Gabr is an international team-mate of Baggies defender Ahmed Hegazi , who joined the club on a permanent basis after a successful loan spell.
This transfer is looking more likely the closer skipper Jonny Evans gets to an exit.
Arsenal and Manchester City are competing for the signature of the Irishman with City willing to pay a higher fee of around £23million.
Arsene Wenger is desperate to strengthen his side but a move for Evans in this window may be difficult with the club focused on the ongoing Alexis Sanchez saga and a move for Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick-Aubameyang.
The Arsenal boss said this morning that Sanchez is "likely" to go to Manchester United.
Any deal is hinged on Henrikh Mkhitaryan agreeing to move the other way, but Wenger insisted that his wages "will not be a problem".
The Frenchman also revealed that he "regrets" how things worked out with Theo Walcott following the attacker's £20million move to Everton.
