Midfielder keen on Baggies switch

West Bromwich Albion are in pole position to sign Rennes midfielder Tongo Doumbia, after he expressed a desire to join the club.

The Mali international is now set to fly to England in an attempt to conclude a switch to the Premier League, according to reports emerging from France.
However, before a deal can be done, more work is required to finalise an agreement that both clubs are happy with although talks are said to be progressing well.
The Baggies boss Steve Clarke will be encouraged though by the fact the player had his heart set on a move to the Hawthorns after rejecting overtures from other top clubs, including Arsenal.
"I felt more desire there," he told French journalists. "Obviously, it is less glamorous than Arsenal but I'll be able to continue my progress. I will have more chances to play.
"This (Premier League) is a championship that thrills everybody. I hope this is the beginning of a great adventure."
A fee in the region of £2.5m has been suggested previously for Doumbia, but it's unclear whether that would be enough to tempt Rennes into selling him.