Darren Moore's plans to keep his star players following West Bromwich Albion's relegation from the Premier League last season has taken a real blow after it's been announced that experienced defender Craig Dawson has handed in a transfer request, as he looks to exit the Hawthorns before the start of the new season.
The Baggies have already rejected bids from West Ham United and Burnley for Dawson, who has set his sights on a return to the Premier League, and the 28-year-old has reportedly handed in an official transfer request on Wednesday afternoon.
Dawson and want-away goalkeeper Ben Foster are two major players Moore was looking to hold on to, as he looks to try and mastermind a promotion-seeking campaign from the Championship, but the pair have shown no will to be part of Moore's plans, and have already been reprimanded by the club after they refused to join the club in pre-season training camp in Portgual.
While Foster is being lined up by Watford, both West Ham and Burnley are looking to strengthen their back-line ahead of the new Premier League season, but the West Brom board have already rejected a £12m bid from the former of that pair of top-flight clubs for Dawson, however, they will be ready to swoop back in for the solid defender in light of his will to gain a move away from The Hawthors.
Moore, who excelled in the latter stages of last season at the helm at the Baggies, will now have to play the imminent Dawson saga smartly, and while he sees Dawson a major cog of his defensive machine next season he will now be resigned to losing one of his main assets, but will now surely turn his attentions on getting the biggest price possible for the former England U21 international.
West Brom central defender Craig Dawson has handed in an official transfer request to the club's board, SSN understands
