Albion reject Fulham's Greening bid

14 July 2009 10:22
Greening has been linked with a Hawthorns exit since the end of last season, when the Baggies were relegated back down to the Championship under former boss Tony Mowbray, who has since joined Celtic. The former Middlesbrough midfielder is believed to have told club officials he is keen to remain in the Premier League - but it appears Albion have no intention of granting his wish unless it is on terms they are happy with. Fulham boss Roy Hodgson snapped up former Baggies winger Zoltan Gera on a free transfer last summer - and wants the Hungarian to be reunited with Greening at Craven Cottage. The Londoners offered Albion £2million plus a choice of one of three players, one of whom was pacey midfielder Hameur Boauzza, for the 30-year-old. But Baggies supremo Peace has rejected the bid, describing it as 'derisory', and insists new boss Roberto Di Matteo is under 'no pressure' to sell the club's star players despite relegation to England's second tier. Peace said: "Jonathan is our captain and a vital member of the squad. "Therefore we didn't give Fulham's offer a second thought. "It is derisory for a player of Jonathan's talent and experience. "We made it abundantly at the end of last season that should any players leave it will be on our terms. "We want to keep all our best players as we strive for promotion back to the Premier League - we are under no financial pressure to sell anyone," he told the Birmingham Mail. Bolton have also been linked with a summer bid for Greening, having signed his close friend and former team-mate Paul Robinson on a season-long loan deal which will turn into a £2million permanent transfer. But the midfielder is currently on a tour of Slovenia with the rest of Di Matteo's first-team squad - and is believed to be a vital cog in the Italian's plans. Former MK Dons boss Di Matteo has already been active in the transfer market this summer, signing striker Simon Cox and midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu, and he is believed to have targeted Coventry's Danny Fox as a replacement for Robinson in the left-back position.

Source: Team_Talk