da dobrowin： According to Turkish journalist Ovunc Ozdem, Besiktas defender Domagoj Vida has turned down a move to West Brom in this summer transfer window.
What’s the word?
da imperador bet： The Baggies have endured a difficult start to the new Premier League season from a defensive standpoint, conceding 11 goals in their opening three games against Leicester, Everton and Chelsea.
It’s no surprise then that Slaven Bilic appears to want a new central defender before the close of play on Monday night, but Ozdem has delivered a major blow to their chances of landing Vida.
The journalist claims that the reason the Croatia international snubbed a move to the Hawthorns and even Serie A giants Roma, is that he could not get the same salary as he is on at Besiktas.
Worse than Kyle Bartley
With 81 caps to his name, and plenty of tournament experience with Croatia including in the World Cup, Vida certainly has the kind of international pedigree that makes him more of a recognisable face in European football.
But moving past that, the 31-year-old would simply have been a major disaster for Bilic. Earning around £70k-a-week at the moment at Besiktas, the centre-back would have become the joint highest-earner at the Hawthorns along with Charlie Austin – the man in second, Kieran Gibbs, earns £55k-a-week.
The financials wouldn’t have made any sense for a player at that age and inevitably set for a decline over these coming years, and his ability on the pitch is already beginning to show that. As per Whoscored, he averaged just one tackle, 1.4 interceptions and 2.5 clearances in the Turkish league last season, with the Baggies’ Kyle Bartley managing 1.3 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 4.5 clearances per match.
Then, you have to take into consideration his poor disciplinary record. Vida has picked up 82 yellow cards and four red cards over the course of his career, whilst he has also fallen in trouble with FIFA too.
Luke Dowling has avoided a major West Brom disaster.