Fulham have told Middlesbrough they will need to pay more than £3m to secure the services of highly-rated centre back Zat Knight.
Steve McClaren is impressed with the tall defender, who made his international debut during England’s summer tour of the United States earlier this month. The Middlesbrough boss has apparently made the 25 year-old one of his top transfer targets during the close season, but Knight is one of the Fulham players that Chris Coleman would be reluctant to lose.
Coleman is under instructions to cut the wage bill at Craven Cottage – and has already seen Dutch veteran goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar leave to join Manchester United. Experienced striker Andrew Cole is expected to be exit Craven Cottage this summer as well, whilst midfielders Sylvain Legwinski and Lee Clark were released at the end of their contracts. Creative midfielder Steed Malbranque is reportedly available if any suitors could put together a competitive offer.
But Fulham are keen to resist interest in Knight, who was handed his Fulham debut by Jean Tigana as Fulham stormed to the Division One title. Aston Villa are believed to be keen on tempting the centre half back to Birmingham, where he was born, but Coleman considers the England international as a key part of his plans. McClaren wants to strengthen his defensive options and has been linked with Joleon Lescott and Andy O’Brien already this summer.
