Downing

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...033281,00.html

Apparently Boro need cash after buying the Brazilian forward from Holland.

What do we reckon? I think that at 6-8m he'd be a good signing, but if we go into double figures it is too much.

I don't rate him at all. He's an average premiership player in a shite team. Completely exposed in the few times he's played for England. And to put it into context he'll be costing us possibly 2m short of what we paid for Bale. He's not even in the same league as Bale.

We'd be making another big mistake if we sign him. Another Andy Reid at double the cost, which doesn't stack up 'cos pound for pound you got double the player with Reidy

Agree with ezza. Really hope we don't get him.

Agree with Ezza too

I've just been flicking through the 8 pages (count 'em!) of chat about this in SC (very slow day at work) and most are against it. However, apparently if you look at the stats, he puts something like the 3rd highest number of crosses in compared to any other player in the Prem over the past 2 seasons and he was consistently 2nd or 3rd highest in the assist charts.

I agree he isn't very pacey and doesn't look international class. However, at the right price, I'd like him as he would bring balance with his left foot and plenty of crosses. Also, he's only played under McClown and Southgate. If Ramos gets him under his wing he cd improve him a lot, esp as Downing is still young (23 yrs old).

Anyway, I think Boro have deneid we've made an enquiry so it probably won't happen.

I'm not sure about Downing. He isn't a top four type of player but then again we aren't in the elite group. Is he a stepping stone type of player to help us knock on the top four door ?

sorry Janek.... I can't stand him, no thanks

what Tottingham said

spur'don wrote:

I'm not sure about Downing. He isn't a top four type of player but then again we aren't in the elite group. Is he a stepping stone type of player to help us knock on the top four door ?

That's a good point. Other Spurs fans think we shd be buying Quaresma from Porto or Ben Arfa from Lyons. But they won't come to us, especially if we're not in the UEFA Cup next season. I fear Downing will be the best we can get in our present position.

I am still upset that we blew the chance of signing Martin Petrov. He has got the right attitudes - apologising to teammates for a bad passes despite he is the most senior player in the team bar Hamann(compare this to Keano or Berbs). Still very pacy and a sweet left peg. The game vs Blackburn was the best example of what he can do. 3 pacy forays down the left with 2 crossed ended up in the net.

Downing - no.

good money wasting skill THFC PLC

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article679304.ece

TOTTENHAM are set to land Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing after weighing in with a £12million bid last night.

Spurs chief Juande Ramos offered £10m for the England star plus £2m-rated Finnish utility midfielder Teemu Tainio.

Downing, 23, is unsettled at The Riverside and told boss Gareth Southgate this week he was considering his future.

A product of the famed Boro youth academy, Downing is ready for a fresh challenge and would welcome a move down south to White Hart Lane.

Former Spurs chief Martin Jol targeted Downing during his time in North London.

And chairman Daniel Levy has now given Spaniard Ramos the nod to make his move.

Downing is very highly thought of by Southgate. But doubts began to surface over his future after he admitted earlier this season that being booed by sections of the Riverside faithful had been hard to deal with.

Tainio, 28, has been in and out of the side under Ramos — who also considered using out of favour England keeper Paul Robinson as bait to land Downing.

It is a major blow to Southgate who was desperate to keep hold of the talented wide man.

But the Boro boss will use the cash to land strike targets Afonso Alves of Heerenveen and Lyon’s Brazilian ace Fred.

Boro host Liverpool today and ROBERT HUTH could be forgiven for having sleepless nights at the prospect of facing Fernando Torres.

But the defender is just happy to be playing after an injury nightmare.

Huth, who has started the last three games, said: “It does your head in every day you can’t get on the pitch. I thank everyone who has helped me to get back.”

why was Downing being booed ? Because he asked for a transfer or performance related ?

All the ITKs are saying this is a done deal - either 12m quid or 10m plus tainio.

I think it is a lot of money, but as I said previously, I think he'll prove to be a good signing for us. He can play in the UEFA Cup of course!

"Stewart is a lovely lad and he gets on with it like a true professional but this issue needs to be resolved. He has had discussions with Middlesbrough and they know his feelings but this needs to be resolved." Ian Elliot (Downing's Mr 10%)

"I am aware and flattered by the interest from Tottenham. But until Middlesbrough and Tottenham agree terms, I remain a Middlesbrough player and am fully committed to helping Gareth Southgate and the team any way I can. I hope this situation is resolved sooner rather than later as all the speculation is affecting me and I would like to drawn a line under the situation and focus fully on my football career." Stewart Downing

Seems Comolli is STILL pulling the wool over Levy's eyes. 8m on Kaboul, 16m for Bent and now another 12m spunked away on Mr. Average. The root cause of the problem at the club if the DoF, but still Levy gives him all the encouragement he needs to make an absolute feck up of the whole thing. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.......12m on Downing.......count them....TWELVE FFS!!!!

Better than 16 for a player that could do with a season at Colchester on loan to restore confidence. You couldn't make it up...

ITKs reported on the SC Transfer Forum are generally predicting that Jarque and Downing will both sign for 8m each by the end of the week.

However, both Boro and Espanyol have denied there have been any bids, so who knows what is happening!

Tiago and Fred also strongly linked, seems at least Routledge and probably Defoe will be out the door.

Looks like a busy January, despite Levy's denials of such on the official website on 1 January!

Daniel wrote:

Better than 16 for a player that could do with a season at Colchester on loan to restore confidence. You couldn't make it up...

The Times is reporting that we'd accept a 12.5m bid for Bent. I wonder if West Ham will bite?

Ian Elliott, Downing's agent, told Sky Sports News: "He's very, very flattered by Tottenham's interest in him. They play the type of football he would like to be involved in. If the interest was firmed up he would be interested in talking to them - but we can't take it any further.
"It's between the two clubs. Once they have agreed a deal, we can look at it and see if it's something we want to do. Stewart's a great professional - he gives everything to Middlesbrough. He's a local lad and if he left it would be with a heavy heart - but sometimes you need to move on to better your career."

Janek wrote:

Daniel wrote:

Better than 16 for a player that could do with a season at Colchester on loan to restore confidence. You couldn't make it up...

The Times is reporting that we'd accept a 12.5m bid for Bent. I wonder if West Ham will bite?

I'm still not sure about Bent. Top English scorer in consecutive seasons with a struggling team.....only 23 yrs....I still say he could come good for us. 16m WAS too much but that's not to say he is a bad player.

"I've known about Downing for two years, since we played against Middlesbrough in the UEFA Cup final. He is a player I know well, I don't have to watch him." Ramos last night when questioned about Downing

Janek wrote:

"I've known about Downing for two years, since we played against Middlesbrough in the UEFA Cup final. He is a player I know well, I don't have to watch him." Ramos last night when questioned about Downing

That's a worry. You hammer a team 5-1 ( something like that ) and can still say one of their players made an impression.

From The Proud Cockerel:

TPC sources believe that Spurs are very close to completing a deal to sign Brazil striker Fred but moves to bring Daniel Jarque and Stewart Downing to White Hart Lane have suffered hitches.
Spurs are reported to have offered £9m to bring the Lyon striker to the club and Fred’s brother and agent Rodrigo told French newspaper L'Equipe that the deal could be concluded in the next few days. "We are due to meet with Damien Comolli - he will come with a new offer. If it is good, Fred will sign for Tottenham,” he confirmed. The deal will surely prove the last straw for Jermain Defoe while Darren Bent will also be anxious by the move. Neither player is guaranteed to still be at White Hart Lane come the end of the transfer window with one or both likely to move on in the summer if they continue to fail to impress Juande Ramos.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s move to sign centre-back Daniel Jarque from Espanyol is on a knife’s edge as the club are concerned about the injury that the player is currently suffering from. If recent scans suggest that Jarque will be out of action for a considerable time then it seems likely that Spurs will drop their attempts to sign him this month and look to resurrect the deal in the summer. Despite Jarque playing down talk of a move to White Hart Lane, TPC sources believe that personal terms are all but agreed and Spurs will have no problem meeting the price tag for the player.
Finally, the drawn-out saga of Stewart Downing switching from Middlesbrough looks to be on the verge of collapse. The north east club rejected Spurs’ original offer for the England winger and we believe Spurs are now appears unlikely to increase their bid. Comolli was keen to bring another young British talent to the club, with Downing and his agent desperate to complete the deal, but the price tag and Ramos’s doubts about the move look to have put an end to a possible deal. As always, TPC and its sources will keep you updated on any progress with these possible transfers.

From Topspurs. Sums it all up really.

18th January 2008 – Downing - Do not sign this man

Stewart Downing would a typical Tottenham signing – young, British, over-hyped and over-priced.

The premium that is placed on the value of all British players is something that is well documented, and true to form the quoted price of £8-12m for the Middlesbrough winger is well over the odds for a player of his calibre, especially when you consider that the superior Martin Petrov cost just £4.7m when he signed for Manchester City last summer.

Downing has a decent left foot, admittedly, but doesn’t beat his man often enough or deliver enough quality balls into the box to merit this overblown fee.

Something seems to have gone strangely awry with Spurs’ transfer policy. Whether or not you agree with the system of signing young players with a high resale value, it does not seem like this transfer target even fits that bill – is there anybody out there who thinks Downing has the potential to be a £20m player in a few seasons time? Darren Bent is a similar case; it is very unlikely that Spurs will ever be able to recoup their £16.5m outlay on the striker if and when they decide to cash-in.

Second-rate players for huge amounts of money is a recipe for disaster. Just because Downing, and Bent for that matter, have played for England a few times does not mean that they would improve our team. Under Eriksson a succession of undeserving players were awarded caps, even our own Anthony Gardner, and with McClaren things were hardly any better. (Incidentally, Downing’s only starts at international level came under McClaren, his former boss at Middlesbrough. Make of that what you will).

Is Downing really someone Ramos has identified as a target that will improve the standard of the team? It seems more likely that this is the work of Comolli. The Frenchman’s record in the transfer market is patchy at best; surely it’s time Levy et al realised where the real problems at Tottenham Hotspur lie.

And what of Steed Malbranque? He has been in great form this season, along with Robbie Keane the shining light in an otherwise disappointing campaign, who works tirelessly for the team and has never been found lacking in terms of quality. It is true that he is not a natural left-winger, but surely his performances merit at the very least a stay of execution in that position until someone of the necessary quality can be persuaded to join?

And given that Malbranque is playing so well, is this area of the team the priority in terms of strengthening right now? Surely a centre back and a holding midfielder are more pressing concerns. So why have we chased two right-backs this transfer window? And why are we being linked with Fred? Scoring goals has not been a problem for the side.

Spurs’ transfer strategy has gone to pot, and this target, if it is to be believed, smacks of incompetence on the part of those responsible. Please Spurs, don’t do it. Not Downing. And please Levy, get shot of Comolli. Only then will we have a genuine chance of success.

Good points.

The left midfield isn't the most pressing problem.