Gibson defends Young sale

Boro happy with £6million deal

By Graeme Bailey   Last updated: 8th August 2008

gibson steve

Gibson: Boro pledge

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Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson has defended the club's decision to sell Luke Young in a £6million deal.

Young only arrived at Boro last year in a £2.5million move from Charlton.

The England full-back had an excellent debut campaign at The Riverside and was many fans' pick for Player of the Year.

However, just over a week before the start of the Premier League season Boro have opted to sell their first-choice right-back - a move which has been criticised by a number of fans, who have questioned the club's ambition.

But Gibson has come out quickly to assure fans that Young will be replaced quickly and that the deal taking him to Aston Villa was actually worth £6million.

"The fans need to know that we will only do what's right for the football club in the short term, medium term and the long term," he told the club's official website.

"Selling a 29-year-old full-back for £6million a year after we bought him for £2.5million, and doing so in the knowledge that we will replace him, is right for the football club in the short term, medium term and the long term.

"We're already busy working on bringing in a replacement."

Boro are already being strongly linked with a move for Arsenal's Justin Hoyte, whilst Fulham's Moritz Volz and Steve Finnan of Liverpool have also been mentioned as possible targets for Gareth Southgate.

Comments

Scott Moore (Middlesbrough fan) says...

Very disapointed with the club over this sale.We hav'nt had a decent right back for years we finally get one in luke young and let him go.seems a very strange decision.

Posted 19:18 8th August 2008

Craig Housbey (Middlesbrough fan) says...

I think this is a great bit of buisness for us as luke young will never be sold to another club for as much as villa bought him from us. He is nearly 30 years old now and these days thats old in this league, weve made £3.5million proffit and less than half of that could be spent on a better player than young.

Posted 18:06 8th August 2008

Robert Frankland (Middlesbrough fan) says...

no player is worth 3m in my books so to get 6m is very good biz for me up the boro

Posted 15:35 8th August 2008

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