West Brom boss Tony Mowbray is ready to offer Bolton defender Abdoulaye Meite an escape route out of the Reebok Stadium.

Ivory Coast international Meite has been told he can leave for £3million after falling out of favour with Bolton boss Gary Megson.

Baggies boss Mowbray is thought to be preparing a bid as he seeks to strengthen his backline ahead of the new season and his interest in the 27-year-old centre-back comes after fellow Premier League new-boys Hull failed with a move earlier in the summer, according to the Sunday Mirror.

Meite appears not to have a future at The Reebok Stadium under Megson, who sees Andy O'Brien and Gary Cahill as his first choice central defensive partnership.

Meite also infuriated Megson when he reportedly refused to go out for the second half of his side's 2-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in March and did not play the 27-year-old during the rest of the campaign.

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