Rumour Mill-It's Burnley not Barnsley, Dawson!

Brian Laws last summer was reported to be interested in signing Rochdale centre-back Craig Dawson. Dawson had impressed captaining Rochdale to promotion and becoming the League 2 player of the year.

In the end though it was newly promoted new boys, West Brom who signed the player for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract in August 2010.

Dawson though was then immediately loaned back to Rochdale for the remainder of the 2010-11 season and has yet to make his debut for the Baggies.

The 21 year old now could be available for another season-long loan spell and may complete such a move either during the transfer window or the emergency loan window.

West Brom manager, Roy Hodgson is reported to have promised Dawson a chance to impress in the Albion first team next season but he will face competition with the Baggies already having five centre backs on their backs with reports they are seeking a sixth!

Dawson was signed by former West Brom manager, Roberto Di Matteo and Hodgson by his own admission knows very little about the player.

He is though quoted as saying:

"I`ve not seen much but the feedback has been very positive.

"I`m not looking to loan him out.

"He`s had his loan spell and now at the age of 21 he`s had two and half years of football.

"We bought him to be a player here, not so others could benefit.

"I`m looking forward to working with him but I don`t know much about him yet.

"The reports I`ve seen have been positive and everyone tells me has a good career ahead of him, so he needs to show me and the rest of the staff that those reports are correct."

Media reports now though are saying that Dawson has also caught the eye of Eddie Howe with rumours that he is considering a season-long loan bid.

However, Howe could face competition from Barnsley with manager, Keith Hill leaving Rochdale to become the new Tykes gaffer on Wednesday this week and other clubs might also be sniffing around.

If a loan is on the cards again this season, Dawson might prefer a move to a club in the North West being a locally born Rochdale lad.

However it looks like he is more up for fighting for a place in the West Brom first team in order to achieve his ambitions of playing in the top flight.

"I`m going to go in there pre-season, work as hard as I can, push myself and hopefully get a place in the team,said Dawson

"It`s everybody`s dream to try and get in a Premier League side, but there is a lot of hard work to do before that."

Dawson for a centre back is also pretty handy on the goal scoring front. In his promotion season with Rochdale he scored 11 goals which was a club record for a back-four player.

There is no doubting the player's talent but if the speculation is true we could face an uphill battle to bring him to Turf Moor.

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