West Bromwich Albion’s and former Arsenal leftback Kieran Gibbs is edging closer to a move to Torino, according to Tuttosport.
The Italian daily reports that Granata officials have flown to England to iron out details of a potential transfer, with Afriyie Acquah rumoured to be heading in the opposite direction.
Gibbs played the full 90 minutes as the Baggies, relegated from the Premier League last season, opened their Championship campaign with a 2-1 home defeat to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
But Tuttosport is convinced that the England international, formerly of Arsenal, is desperate for a move to Turin.
In return, the Hawthorns club want Ghanaian midfielder Acquah and are said to have offered the 26-year-old a contract worth €1m-a-season.
Gibbs began his senior career with Arsenal in 2007, after joining the club from the Wimbledon academy in 2004. He began as a winger and moved to left back after a loan spell with Norwich City during the same 2007–08 season where he made his Arsenal debut. He made his full England debut in a friendly against Hungary at Wembley Stadium on 11 August 2010.
Gibbs was part of England U19 squad that was knocked out in the group stages of the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship but qualified for 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt as a result of finishing third in their group.
Gibbs was called up for the England U21 squad along with Arsenal teammate Theo Walcott for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden. He scored two goals in a pre-tournament friendly victory over Azerbaijan in a 7–0 rout at Stadium mk on 8 June 2009 and converted his penalty in the tournament semi-final against Sweden.Thus England reached the final of the U21 Euros, a match that the Three Lions lost, wherein Gibbs earned a silver medal as a runner-up.
He scored the opening goal in a 6–3 win over Macedonia in a 2011 U21 Euros qualifier on 9 October 2009. Gibbs was thus selected by manager Stuart Pearce as part of the squad for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship to be held in Denmark. He eventually had to pull out due to an ankle injury.
Gibbs was eligible to feature for either Barbados or England at the senior level. As so, Gibbs was called up by Fabio Capello to England for his first cap in a friendly against Hungary on 11 August at Wembley Stadium. He came on as a half-time substitute for Ashley Cole. After two injury affected seasons, Gibbs was rewarded for his good form and again called up to the England squad on 8 October 2013 by new manager Roy Hodgson.