Craig Dawson hands in transfer request at West Brom

The 28-year-old defender is agitating for a move to Burnley this summer, and has already received a fine for refusing to go on Darren Moore’s pre-season training camp to Portugal.

Albion have rejected a £12m bid from West Ham this summer and have also turned down a double-offer of £25m from Burnley for both Dawson and Jay Rodriguez.

Last week, Dawson skipped Albion’s pre-season trip to Portugal, just like Watford-bound goalkeeper Ben Foster, and he has now formalised his desire to move by submitting a transfer request to the board.

It’s not the first time the defender has taken such a step in an effort to leave the club.

He submitted a transfer request four years ago to also try and force a move to Burnley when he was struggling for first-team football at Albion, but it was rejected and he subsequently signed a new deal.

However, Dawson is no longer on the fringes of the squad and was an integral part of Moore’s team during his spell as caretaker boss.

After Moore paired him with Ahmed Hegazi, the Baggies kept three clean sheets out of six games.

Albion want north of £20m for the defender because he is in the prime of his career, has years of Premier League experience, and still has two years left on his contract.

He is also the only senior centre-back left at the club the Baggies currently have control over.

Ahmed Hegazi has a £10m release clause while Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley have already left.

Albion are hoping to bolster their threadbare back-line with Swansea City centre-back Kyle Bartley.

Leeds United are also keen on the 27-year-old, who spent the 2016/17 season on loan at Elland Road, but it’s believed the Baggies will be able to offer a higher fee and better wages.

Bartley is willing to leave South Wales after a frustrating few years at Swansea, but there is uncertainty over the futures of fellow defenders Alfie Mawson and Federico Fernandez and new boss Graham Potter is keen to look at the Arsenal academy product before deciding whether to sell.

Reports Albion are interested in Wolves defender Danny Batth are wide of the mark.