Murray would not go cheaply (From The Argus)

Murray would not go cheaply

8:20am Wednesday 10th June 2009 in

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Albion may be prepared to sell unsettled striker Glenn Murray – but only for a high price.

Murray’s latest transfer request was discussed at a Board meeting in London yesterday.

The Seagulls have reiterated manager Russell Slade’s desire to hang on to the former Rochdale marksman but have not ruled out letting him leave if a club comes in with a big enough offer.

Managing director Ken Brown said: “The view is he is our player – we don’t want him to go. Russell rates him very highly, so we will see.

“Everyone has a price in football but the price on him is high.

“If someone comes in with an offer that seriously turns our heads then no doubt we will consider it but Russell doesn’t have to sell him and doesn’t want to sell him.”

Albion will want to make a substantial profit on Murray, who has scored 19 goals in 38 League starts since arriving from Rochdale for £300,000 18 months ago.

The Cumbrian-born 25-year-old, plagued by hernia trouble last season, also made a transfer request last summer which the club kept under wraps.

He is under contract until June 2011 but wants to return north after the mother of his baby son failed to settle on the South Coast.

Meanwhile, Albion have lost out to Danny Wilson’s Swindon in a three-way fight between League One clubs to buy 20-year-old striker Theo Robinson from managerless Championship outfit Watford.

The Seagulls made a six-figure bid for the former Stoke City schoolboy, who has two years remaining on his contract at Vicarage Road.

Southend were also in the race. They wanted to re-sign Robinson after a successful loan spell at Roots Hall last season, which included a goal against Albion at Withdean, but Swindon is closer to his home city of Birmingham.

Slade’s eagerness to strengthen his options up front has been hastened by Lloyd Owusu’s move to Australian side Adelaide United and the uncertainty surrounding Murray’s future.

He has been linked with Coventry's Robbie Simpson, although suggestions Albion have made a £400,000 bid are thought to be well wide of the mark.

Brown and new chairman Tony Bloom will be representing Albion at the Football League AGM in Portugal over the next two days.