West Bromwich Albion bid for Norwegian star Per Ciljan Skjelbred rejected
Jul 31 2008 By Chris Lepkowski
ALBION have had an undisclosed bid for Norwegian midfielder Per Ciljan Skjelbred rejected by Rosenborg.
The highly-rated 21-year-old has been watched by a number of clubs, including Spurs, Blackburn and Newcastle.
But Albion have made the first move for the playmaker, who once earned himself a trial with Liverpool after winning a talent competition on Norwegian TV.
Skjelbred, who has Champions League experience, is contracted until the end of December 2009 and has been capped three times for the national side.
Director of sports Erik Hoftun confirmed Albion's bid had been rejected and revealed that the club were in discussions with the player over a new deal.
The Rosenborg official website reports that Skjelbred may yet be sold during this transfer window if he fails to agree to a new contract by tomorrow's deadline.
If he decides against a new deal then his transfer value may diminish to reflect the remaining 18 months of his current contract.
