Birmingham boss Harry Redknapp close to snapping-up Middlesbrough’s ex-England winger Stewart Downing
Former Aston Villa and Liverpool winger edging closer to joining Championship rivals Brum on a free transfer
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BIRMIMGHAM are closing in on a deal for Middlesbrough’s England international winger Stewart Downing.
The former Aston Villa star has been told he can leave the relegated North East side.
And Brum boss Harry Redknapp is now edging closer to landing the star on a free transfer.
That sparked veteran Redknapp’s interest, and he is now on the verge of completing a deal to bring the flanker to St Andrew’s.
He revealed his interest last weekend to the : “If we can get it sorted I would like to do something.
“It depends really but I would like to bring him in, he is a quality player.
“He would give us a lovely balance, a lovely left foot, he is a class player I think.”
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One stumbling block was the wages Downing was earning at his hometown club.
He still has two years left on his contract, but he is due to accept a pay-cut once he finalises a pay-off from Boro.
Redknapp added: “Last year he was on Premier League wages at Middlesbrough so we will have to do a deal somewhere.
“It’s difficult for us to pay Premier League wages – I would like to bring him in, he is a professional, a proper good player.”
Downing returned to Boro in 2015 and helped the club to win promotion to the Premier League in his first season back.
He knows the Midlands well following his spell at Villa after leaving Boro in 2009, making 82 appearances for Birmingham’s bitter rivals during his two-year spell.
Downing then departed for Liverpool in a £20m move but lasted just two campaigns at Anfield before he was shipped off to West Ham.
His form at the Hammers earned him a recall to the England squad, winning the last of his 35 caps in 2014, before he was allowed to return to his boyhood club.
