Soccer-Burnley's Gibson training with Middlesbrough

Burnley central defender Ben Gibson is training with his former club Middlesbrough after telling the Premier League club he wants to leave. Gibson joined the Clarets from Championship (second tier) Middlesbrough for a reported 15 million-pounds ($19.5 million)fee in 2018 but has made just one Premier League start having been unable to dislodge established central defenders Ben Mee and James Tarkowski.

There were reports before the transfer deadline last month that Watford had tried to loan the former England Under-21 international but had been unable to reach a deal with the Lancashire club. "The defender made it clear, in the weeks leading up to the end of the January transfer window, that he wanted to leave Turf Moor to seek regular first team football," Burnley said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately for the player, the club did not receive an offer it felt was acceptable and he remains contracted to the club". Gibson's deal with Burnley runs until June, 2022 and it is highly unusual for a Premier League club to allow a contracted player to train with another team.

($1 = 0.7713 pounds)

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