Baird close to West Brom switch

West Bromwich Albion are closing in on the signing of former Fulham defender Chris Baird, according to the Mail Online.

The 32 year old, who had brief spells with Reading and Burnley last season, is available on a free transfer, and the Baggies are leading the race to secure his services.

Baird made one hundred and twenty-seven top flight appearances for Fulham in a year stint with the club, while he has also had loan spells out for Walsall and Watford having begun his career with Southampton.

Internationally, he has been capped sixty-five times by Northern Ireland since making his debut in a friendly defeat to Italy back in 2003.

Should the deal go through, he will become the Midlands club’s third new signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Craig Gardner and Joleon Lescott, and all three will be pushing to make their debuts in next month’s season opener against Sunderland.