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West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster is no hurry to make a decision on his future until the end of the season.

The 28-year-old joined the Baggies on-loan this season from Birmingham City following their relegation.

Should the Blues be promoted he will return to St Andrew’s but due to the mass exodus of stars, that looks unlikely.

When asked about his future, Foster said: “I honestly haven’t got a clue. As far as it stands it was just a season-loan deal and that was that.

“It just depends on what happens at the end of the season.

“If Birmingham go and get promoted and get back in the Premier League then I will be back there playing football with Birmingham – simple as that.

“If it doesn’t happen, then there is a decision to be made on both parties.

“It’s out of your hands to a point. I will have to bide my time and wait and see.”

Foster admits Birmingham’s Carling Cup success was a major factor in them being relegated.

He said: “I think it was the cup win that really did it and what took us down. It took so much out of us, more emotionally than anything.

“It was so tiring. I remember literally for two weeks afterwards the lads in training were just knackered.

“It was such a big effort from everyone that it really did affect our Premier League form.

“There were some games towards the end of the season, particularly when we lost 2-0 to Fulham, when it was such a poor performance from the lads.

“It just seemed like we were almost resigned to the fact we might get relegated. You could see something like that happening which was disappointing.”

Foster was also relegated with Watford but is confident Albion will stay up despite a poor start to the season.

He said: “We’ll be absolutely fine. I had the misfortune of getting relegated with Birmingham last season and with Watford a few years back as well.

“I can see what you need in your team to avoid the drop. We have plenty of talent in this team to avoid the drop.

“I think realistically we have to be looking towards 10th and 11th place. That’s our true position.”

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West Bromwich Albion manager Roy Hodgson has admitted his club cannot compete financially with many other sides.

The Baggies boss has dampened down expectations from fans who hope to improve on the 11th place finish from last season.

Albion have brought in six players this summer in Gareth McAuley, Billy Jones, Zoltan Gera, Ben Foster, Martin Fulop and Shane Long.

But Long was the only player to cost a sizeable fee – £4.5million – with the others all Bosman free signings apart from Foster, who has joined on loan from Birmingham.

“People need to be sufficiently aware to realise we are still fighting with lesser resources and we are still pulling rabbits out of the hat to some extent,” Hodgson said.

“If you spend £100million you are likely to get more or better players than the team that spends £2-3million.

“If you want a Savile Row suit, you pay Saville Row prices but you can still put a suit on your back from Tesco’s.

“There are limits and it would be unfair to expect the Tesco man to look as good as the Savile Row man.”

“We are not Manchester City or Liverpool,” he added. “People talk about spending £50million as if it is nothing at all.

“We talk about net spends of £2-3million if we’re lucky. You have to put those things into perspective – and I think our fans can.

“I’d like to think they have got as realistic an attitude towards things as we have.”

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West Bromwich Albion are on the verge of signing Birmingham City duo Ben Foster and Liam Ridgewell.

Foster, 28, will agree a season-long loan move to the Hawthorns to replace goalkeeper Scott Carson, who has joined Bursaspor.

The semi-retired England international clashed with first-team coach Paul Trollope in a car park after the shot-stopper arrived late for training.

Ridgewell will join his team-mate at the Hawthorns after agreeing a £2million permanent deal, according to the Guardian.

Cash-strapped Birmingham are desperate to offload their top earners as they adjust to life in Championship following relegation.

The Blues, who need to raise money to solve short-term cash-flow difficulties, will also sanction the departure of defender Scott Dann in the coming weeks.

Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton are all keen on the 24-year-old, who earlier this month rejected an £8million move to Stoke City earlier this month.

Birmingham owner Carson Yeung has had his assets frozen by the Hong Kong courts after he was charged with five counts of money laundering – which he denies.

Craig Gardner, Roger Johnson and Barry Ferguson have already departed for a combined total of £12m.

Cameron Jerome and Nikola Zigic will not be far behind them if buyers can be found. Stephen Carr is also expected to move on, leaving manager Chris Hughton with a very difficult task.

Birmingham will receive half their £16million Premier League parachute payment in the middle of next month but Hughton is unlikely to see any of that money.

He wants to sign Boaz Myhill from Albion to take over in goal from Foster and is also interested in the former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Dave Jones.

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West Bromwich Albion are on the brink of completing the loan signing of Birmingham City goalkeeper Ben Foster.

The deal will see the the 28-year-old join the Baggies for the whole season, with a view to a permanent deal next summer.

The England international, impressed in his debut season for Birmingham, winning the man of the match in the League Cup final victory over Arsenal, despite the Blues being relegated.

Birmingham need to get him off their wage bill, as they struggle with the financial pressures of playing in the Championship.

Foster has made it clear he would prefer to remain in the Midlands and a switch to Albion would fit the bill.

Albion manager Roy Hodgson has been searching for a new number one keeper since Scott Carson signed for Turkish side Bursaspor last month.

He has been linked with West Ham’s Robert Green but Foster was always amongst his leading targets.

Foster will be Hodgson’s fourth summer signing following the arrival of Craig Dawson, Billy Jones and Gareth McAuley.

Hodgson helped save the Baggies from relegation since taking over in February and guided them to 11th, their best finish for thirty years.

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West Bromwich Albion manager Roy Hodgson wants to sign Birmingham City goalkeeper Ben Foster as a replacement for Scott Carson.

Reports suggest the 28-year-old will be allowed to leave the Blues on-loan in an effort to reduce their wage bill as they look to bounce back into the Premier League.

The England international has been linked to a number of clubs but the Baggies want him to replace Carson, who joined Turkish club, Bursaspor, earlier this summer.

This week, Hodgson spoke of targets he had identified to chairman Jeremy Peace and he hopes they will be able to sign.

The Baggies boss refused to name his targets but one is certain to be a goalkeeper while the other is thought to be Reading striker Shane Long.

West Brom also have interest in former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves and plan to hold further talks with the free agent in the near future.

Asked about Ben Foster, Hodgson told the Express & Star: “I am aware of our interest in Ben Foster but I am not aware of how far down the line we are with our negotiations with Birmingham, so I can’t make any comments on that.

“But Ben Foster is a goalkeeper who interests us and, if we can get him to West Bromwich Albion on loan or on a permanent deal, that would be something we would be very happy about.”

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Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish will move for Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given after being frustrated in his attempts to sign Ben Foster from Birmingham City.

McLeish is on the lookout for a new number one after Brad Friedel joined Tottenham Hotspur as a free agent on a two-year deal.

Given, who spent last season on the City bench as back up to Joe Hart, is desperate for first-team football.

The 35-year-old was rumoured to be leaving in the last two transfer windows but the Blues boss Roberto Mancini would not sell him to a direct rival.

The Republic of Ireland international has two years left on his deal but needs regular football to maintain his national place.

His only appearances for City last season were in the Europa League, but at Villa he would be virtually guaranteed first-team football ahead of back-up goalkeepers Brad Guzan and Andy Marshall.

McLeish has tried to sign Ben Foster from his former club, but the Birmingham board are reluctant to do business after his controversial switch to Villa Park.

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Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish will raid his former club Birmingham City and Blackpool to sign Ben Foster, Scott Dann and Charlie Adam.

The new Villa Park boss is desperate for reinforcements following the release of 10 squad players and sees the trio as the perfect candidates.

McLeish wants Foster to replace Brad Friedel, who joined Tottenham Hotspur earlier in this transfer window.

The 28-year-old only joined Birmingham last summer, but the England international has a £9million release clause in his contract allowing him to leave if the club were relegated.

‘Big ‘Eck’ has been quoted £12million for Dann, who has attracted interest from a whole host of Premier League clubs.

Liverpool were favourites to sign the Englishman but now look to have turned their attentions to Udinese centre-back, Cristian Zapata.

Another Reds’ target, Adam, has also been highlighted as a must-buy by McLeish following the departure of Nigel Reo-Coker.

McLeish will waste no time in trying to sign his man and will offer £10million this week, even though it is still £2million short of Blackpool’s valuation for their captain.

Adam wants out of Bloomfield Road following Ian Holloway’s men’s relegation, though, and McLeish, who gave him both his Rangers and Scotland debuts, is a long-term admirer.

Villa will have cash to splash, with midfielder Ashley Young on the brink of a £17m move to Manchester United.

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Aston Villa’s new manager Alex McLeish given £40m in transfer funds and targets Scott Dann – report

New Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has apparently been handed £40 million in transfer funds to help him strengthen the Villans’ squad for the coming season.

The News of the World reports that McLeish is looking to make Birmingham City defender Scott Dann his first signing, something that would anger fans of his former club.

McLeish has reportedly been told that he must find £15m to secure Dann’s signature, although competition from Stoke, Liverpool and Arsenal could well force the price higher. Stoke have apparently already bid £12 million for Dann’s services, so competition looks set to be fierce.

SOURCE: Goal.com

Alex McLeish will also look to bring in Birmingham City keeper Ben Foster as a replacement for Brad Friedel, who left for Tottenham prior to his appointment as Villa Park boss. The new Aston Villa manager may need even more in the way of private security if he follows up his move from St Andrews’ to their arch rivals by also nabbing two of his former club’s top talents.

Scott Dann missed a huge chunk of last season, a fact that more than likely led to the Midlands club getting relegated. The Liverpool born centre back will cost a pretty penny though but that doesn’t seem to be an issue as Villa owner Randy Lerner looks to back his contentious appointment with significant transfer funds.

Aston Villa could well do with a defensive shake-up after last season conceding their most goals since the 1986=87 season.

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Aston Villa are preparing to take advantage of neighbours Birmingham City’s relegation by making a £15million bid for Ben Foster and Scott Dann.

The Daily Mirror reports the Villa Park club will break a 28-year hoodoo by signing the highly-rated duo.

England goalkeeper Foster and highly rated centre half Dann have been identified as the two major players in the Blues’ ­relegated squad who could strengthen their squad.

Villa have just released ten players and stars Ashley Young and Stewart Downing have both strongly linked with exits this summer.

It is likely a re-building programme will happen at the club and Foster and Dann could be the start of many new faces arriving at the club.

The Villains cannot make any new transfers until manager Gerard Houllier is given clearance to return following ill-health.

A decision will be taken in the next seven days, with ­Houllier’s No 2 Gary McAllister insisting the 63-year-old will be ready to report back full-time for pre-season on July 7.

But Villa will face competition from other clubs if they wish to buy the Birmingham pair.

Dann has attracted interest from Liverpool while Foster is a traget for Tottenham Hotspur.

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is lining up a sensational bid for Birmingham City goalkeeper Ben Foster to replace PSV bound Heurelho Gomes.

The Spurs boss has finally run out of patience with his Brazilian shot-stopper who has made a series of high profile errors during his career in North London.

After his latest blunders against Real Madrid, Chelsea and Blackpool, Gomes lost his place in the team to reserve keeper Carlo Cudicini until the end of the season.

The 30-year-old is the subject of interest from his former club PSV Eindhoven but a fee is yet to be agreed between the two sides.

Redknapp will move quickly to sign Foster who impressed in his first season with Birmingham despite it ending in relegation.

He was crowned the Blues’ player of the season and named man of the match for his display in the Carling Cup final win over Arsenal.

Cash-strapped Birmingham are looking to sell Foster in order to reduce the wage bill. A bid of around £7million will enough to secure the 28-year-old’s signature.

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