Relegated Middlesbrough scored the least amount of goals in last season’s Premier League, but one of their strikers appears to be favoured to stay in the top divison.

Alvaro Negredo spent this past season on loan at Middlesbrough and had his best season since 2013-14 with Manchester City. The 31-year old Spaniard is the favourite (2/1) to join West Brom before the summer window closes with Bet Victor, ahead of West Ham and Turkish side Galatasaray (both 4/1).

The Valencia striker spent last season on loan at Boro but was unable to keep the club in the Premier League despite scoring a third of their league goals and contributing four assists as well. Negredo’s nine goals were also more than any player scored for Tony Pulis’ tenth placed side, so the interest is understandable.

Negredo scored 16 goals in English competitions during his first stint in the Premier League with Manchester City three seasons ago.

The Euro 2012 winner looked to be a great signing by Manuel Pellegrini but didn’t score after January and was loaned out to Valencia that summer. After two unsuccessful seasons back in Spain, Aitor Karanka brought Negredo back to England and now Tony Pulis should look to do the same.

West Brom’s leading goal-scorer last season was Salomón Rondón, who scored eight and only once after his 14 December hat-trick, while in second was 37-year old centre-back Gareth McAuley’s six. While not an elite scorer by any means, Negredo is certainly better than the options currently at West Brom.

Goals win games and the Spanish striker found a way to contribute goals in a team who scored more than once only four times all season, so he can surely help West Brom’s attack in 17/18.

Negredo is also a physical striker who is also good in the air, a scouting report that perfectly fits the typical Pulis striker. Although West Ham also needs to reevaluate their strike, the potential marriage between West Brom and Negredo makes too much sense not to happen.

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