Southgate: Downing Is Too Good For Spurs

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Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has claimed that England International Stewart Downing is too good for Tottenham Hotspur after Boro rejected two bid for the winger from their Premier League rivals earlier in the week.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp had made 24-year-old Downing his main transfer target after securing the return of striker Jermain Defoe to White Hart Lane from Portsmouth. However, after the rejection of the two offers for Downing, Redknapp is understood to have conceded that he will not land Downing from Middlesbrough this month, despite the winger handing in a transfer request at the Riverside Stadium.

Now Southgate has revealed that should Downing leave Boro, he should set his sights higher than the North London club, with Southgate insisting that he wants the best for Downing.

“I don't think it (a move to Spurs] is in the interests of our club or in the interests of Stewart,” said Southgate.

“There's a certain level that, if Stewart's going to leave this club, he should be going to.

“I'm not knocking Tottenham but I've had plenty of conversations with Stewart about his future, the majority of which I'd prefer to keep private. He totally understands I want the best for him.”

Southgate did concede that if Boro had been in a more comfortable position in the Premiership, where the North East club are currently just outside the drop-zone. Middlesbrough might have been more willing to let Downing leave for Spurs.

“If we'd had seven more points now it could quite possibly have been a different situation,” Southgate added.

Downing To Force Spurs Move Through?

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Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing is ready to force a move through to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur by handing in a formal transfer request on Monday morning, according to reports.

24-year-old Downing is the main target for Spurs boss Harry Redknapp in the transfer window, with it understood that the English International is ready to quit the Riverside Stadium for White Hart Lane after the interest shown in him by the North London club.

Boro manager Gareth Southgate has repeatedly claimed that Downing will not be sold in January, with Tottenham believed to have already tested the water with a bid of £6million for the winger. Chief executive Keith Lamb dismissed this offer and called it derisory.

However, should Downing force Southgate’s hand by demanding a move it is likely that the Middlesbrough board will allow the winger to leave the North East club after granting Yakubu a move to Everton last season, when he wanted to leave the Riverside. With Boro holding out for somewhere nearer their £15million valuation of their home grown talent Downing.

Whether Redknapp is ready to match the valuation of Middlesbrough remains to be seen, with the Tottenham chief insisting that he will not pay over the odds for any player this month as he puts his own mark on the Spurs squad.

Downing however, is under contract at Middlesbrough until 2013, having signed a new five-year deal last February, which means Spurs, will have to up the ante if Redknapp truly does want to bring Downing to Tottenham.

Spurs Make 'Take It Or Leave It' Offer For Downing?

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is understood to have made a £12million ‘take it or leave it’ offer to Premier League rivals Middlesbrough for winger Stewart Downing on Friday night. Despite Boro boss Gareth Southgate declaring earlier on Friday that the England International would not be sold in January, according to The Mirror.

Redknapp has been tracking 24-year-old Downing for weeks and decided to make his offer after learning that Southgate had blocked the wingers exit from the Riverside Stadium to White Hart Lane earlier in the week, while Spurs were discussing a fee with the North East club.

Tottenham have made the England winger one of their main targets during the transfer window. With various swap deals being touted to make the deal go through, which included the possibility of left-back Gareth Bale being part of the deal to land Downing.

However, in light of the comments made by Southgate, Redknapp has decided to test the resolve of the board at Boro and make a straight cash offer of £12million to lure Downing to North London. It is believed that the comments from Southgate went against the signals the former Portsmouth boss was getting from officials at Middlesbrough, who Redknapp feels are open to selling Downing.

Boro are thought to value Downing in excess of £15million, with it remaining to be seen if the left-winger will become Redknapp’s first signing at Spurs this month in what is expected to be a busy month for the former Pompey chief.

Downing has been at Middlesbrough since 2001 and has scored 17 goals in his 164 Premiership appearances for Boro during his 7-years at the Riverside.

Spurs Leading Boro, Everton, Bolton, West Ham & Sunderland For Bullard?

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly leading the chase for Fulham midfielder Jimmy Bullard, with a host of other Premier League clubs interested in the former Wigan Athletic player. Bolton Wanderers, Middlesbrough, Everton, Sunderland and West Ham United have also been linked with Bullard recently.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is said to be a big fan of the all-action midfielder, having seen Bullard close-up as a youngster, when Redknapp was in charge at West Ham. However, 29-year-old Bullard did not play a single senior game for the Hammers between 1999-2001 and made the switch to Peterborough United before joining the Latics in 2003 and then arriving at Craven Cottage in 2006.

After his arrival at the Cottagers, Bullard had to sit out most of his first season with the Cottagers due to a dislocated kneecap, which ruled him out for nine months. His return to the side towards the end of last season saw Fulham manage to avoid relegation on the last day of the campaign, with many thinking Roy Hodgson’s side were dead and buried weeks before.

Now a source close to Redknapp has claimed that the former Portsmouth manager is to make a move to bring Bullard to White Hart Lane in January. It is believed that Bullard is ready to quit Fulham in order to progress his career, with no shortage of suitors in the Premiership for the midfielder, who is valued at around £4million.

A source close to Redknapp told the News of the World: “Harry is an admirer of the boy and I’m sure will try to get him in January given the circumstances surrounding him.

“If the boy is ready to leave Fulham then Harry would have to be interested.”

As Spurs Close In On Downing, Boro Boss Admits No Player Is "Untouchable"

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp is close to signing Middlesbrough England International Stewart Downing, who the Spurs manager has been an admirer of since his time at charge of Portsmouth and is keen to add the left-winger to his squad at White Hart Lane in January.

The main sticking point in negotiations for 24-year-old Downing seem to be the price, with Boro wanting £15million for the winger, who only recently signed a new contract at the Riverside Stadium in February and is tied to the North East club until 2013 under the new deal, according to The Sun.

With Downing on such a long deal at the Premier League side, Boro manager Gareth Southgate is in a position to name his price, with it understood that Southgate wants Welsh International Gareth Bale (left) to come the other way as part of any deal involving Downing.

Despite not being a regular in the Tottenham starting XI, Redknapp is understood to be reluctant to let Bale leave in the opposite direction for the Riverside and reports suggest that another left-sided Spurs player Jamie O’Hara could be used as a bargaining chip to make the deal go through.

Southgate has admitted that there is no player in his squad that doesn’t have a price, but has insisted that he will fight to keep his best players in January and that any offers for his stars would have to be exceptional.

Gareth Southgate said: “I'd love to say x, y or z are untouchable but I can't. I've got to be honest and say certain players would be sold.

“They would have to be exceptional offers but there are certain clubs with exceptional money.

“We'll fight to keep our best players but are not in a position to say they are untouchable when there is an offer too good to turn down.

“The majority of clubs in this division will feel the same way in January.”

Fulham v Middlesbrough Premier League Preview: Can Boro End 5-Game Winless Streak Against The Cottagers?

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Fulham play Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough in the Premier League at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Roy Hodgson’s Fulham side go into this match unbeaten in their last five league outings, but 4 of those games have been draws, with the last win for the Cottagers coming against Tottenham Hotspur in November at home. Fulham are 10th in the Premier League and have only lost once at home all season in 8 matches, winning 5 and drawing the other 2 games.

Boro go into this clash on the back of a good 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Riverside Stadium last week, but have not won in their last 5 Premiership matches, with 3 draws and defeats to Hull City and Bolton Wanderers. Southgate will be hoping that Middlesbrough can get back to winning ways at Craven Cottage on Saturday and start to climb from their 12th place in the table.

Fulham will be strikers Bobby Zamora (thigh) and Diomansy Kamara (knee) for the visit of Boro, while Andranik Teymourian (knee) and Seol Ki-Hyeon (knee) are also ruled out of this clash for the Cottagers.

Southgate is without summer signing Justin Hoyte (knee) and Rhys Williams (knee), with Gary O’Neill and striker Mido to face late fitness tests for hamstring injuries along with Andrew Taylor, who is struggling to shake off a knee injury in time for the trip to London.

Fulham: (from) Schwarzer, Paintsil, Konchesky, Hangeland, Johnson, Nevland, Gera, Murphy, Gray, Hughes, Zuberbuhler, Etuhu, Bullard, Stoor, Dempsey, Davies, Andreasen, Leijer, Brown, Kallio, Baird, Smalling, Watts

Middlesbrough: (from) Turnbull, Taylor, O’Neill, Riggott, Pogatetz, Digard, Mido, Aliadiere, Emnes, Alves, Huth, Shawky, Tuncay, Downing, Arca, Jones, Bates, Johnson, McMahon, Wheater, Porritt, Owens, Hines, Grounds, Walker

Spurs Join Wigan, West Brom, Everton & Boro In Hunt For Serbian Striker

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Tottenham Hotspur are the latest Premier League club to be linked with a January move for Hertha Berlin striker Marko Pantelic, with Everton, Middlesbrough, Wigan Athletic and West Bromwich Albion all reportedly interested in the Serbian International.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is light in the striker department and despite Argentine Fernando Cavenaghi being heavily linked with a switch to White Hart Lane next month from Ligue 1 side Bordeaux. Redknapp sees Pantelic as a cheap option to bolster his frontline at the North London club, with the Serbian out of contract in the summer and it understood that the Berlin side are prepared to let Pantelic leave for the Premiership in January.



30-year-old Pantelic has been at Hertha since joining from Red Star Belgrade in 2005 and has scored 42 goals in 101 Bundesliga appearances during his time at the Olympic Stadium. Pantelic made his International debut for Serbia in 2003 and has been capped 22 times.

Despite the interest of the Latics along with the Toffees, baggies and Boro, Pantelic could favour a move to Spurs due to the fact that he speaks the same language as Tottenham players Luka Modric and Vedran Corluka, who arrived at White Hart Lane in the summer from Dinamo Zagreb and Manchester City respectively.

Middlesbrough v Newcastle Premiership Preview: Mido Could Feature For Boro – Viduka Close To Comeback For Magpies

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Middlesbrough play, Joe Kinnear’s Newcastle United in the Premier League at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

Gareth Southgate’s Boro side have blown hot and cold in the Premiership this season and will go into this North East derby with Newcastle on the back of a 3-1 defeat to Bolton Wanderers at the Riverside last weekend. The main problem for Middlesbrough has been a lack of goals, with only 15 from their 14 Premier League matches. However, despite this Boro are 10th in the table and will hope to collect all three points in the Derby with Newcastle.

The Magpies only defeat in November came at the hands of Fulham at Craven Cottage, with Kinnear starting to pull the North East club in the right direction after a shaky first few weeks in charge at St James’ Park. Newcastle will be hoping to build on a 0-0 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last week, but have not won away this season and are third from bottom in the Premiership.

Boro will be without Rhys Williams (knee) and Mohamed Shawky (thigh) for the derby with Newcastle, but could have Chris Riggot, Robert Huth and Egyptian International Mido available, who are all racing to be fit for this North East Derby.

Kinnear is unable to call on Alan Smith (achilles), Ignacio Gonzalez (achilles), Ngo Baheng (knee) and Joey Barton (knee), but could have summer signing Xisco and defender Steven Taylor available if they recover from groin strains. While striker Mark Viduka could also be in contention after a long layoff with an achilles problem.

Middlesbrough: (from) Turnbull, Hoyte, Taylor, O’Neil, Riggot, Pogatetz, Digard, Mido, Aliadiere, Emnes, Alves, Huth, Tuncay, Downing, Arca, Jones, Bates, Johnson, Wheater, Porritt, Owens, Hines, Grounds, Walker

Newcastle United: (from) Given, Coloccini, Enrique, Cacapa, Guthrie, Martins, Owen, Duff, Bassong, Harper, N’Zogbia, Gutierrez, Xisco, Geremi, Beye, Butt, Ameobi, Taylor, Kadar, Edgar, Forster, Tozer, LuaLua, Carroll

Boro Line Up £2million Argentine

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is reportedly ready to make a £2million bid for Argentine striker Luciano Becchio at League 1 side Leeds United when the transfer window reopens in January.

24-year-old Becchio has been in superb form for the Whites this season, with the former Barcelona player already finding the net 10 times since his summer switch to Elland Road on a free transfer from Merida UD in the Spanish second division.

Southgate is believed to have watched Becchio several times this season and sees the Argentine as the perfect replacement for Egyptian International Mido, who is a target for Premier League rivals Wigan Athletic and is ready to offer the Yorkshire side £2million to bring the forward to the Riverside Stadium.

Leeds boss Gary McAllister will be reluctant to let Becchio leave United for Boro as he attempts to take Leeds into the Championship in his first full season at the club, but the opportunity of a move to a Premiership side should prove to much to resist for Becchio and with Leeds still struggling financially a move to the North East in January for the Argentine is a distinct possibility

Villa v Boro Premiership Preview: Laursen, Barry & Reo-Coker Set For Villa Recalls – Huth In Contention For Middlesbrough

Aston Villa play, Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough in the Premier League at Villa Park on Sunday.

Villa boss Martin O’Neill will go into this clash with Boro full of confidence, despite losing 2-0 to Newcastle United at St James’ Park last Monday. The Villans are top of their UEFA Cup group and 5th in the Premiership, with the defeat against the Magpies the first since the International break. O’Neill will be confident of collecting all three points at against Middlesbrough, with the Midlands club unbeaten at Villa Park this season.

Southgate will be wondering which Boro team will turn up at Villa, the team that beat Manchester City 2-0 at the Riverside Stadium 10 days ago or the one that has lost to West Bromwich Albion and North East rivals Sunderland this season. Boro have lost 3 of their five away matches this season and are just off the pace in the Premier League in 8th place.

Villa, are unable to call on Stiliyan Petrov (hamstring), who will be out for 2 weeks and long-term absentee Wilfred Bouma (ankle). O’Neill is likely to recall captain Martin Laursen along with Gareth Barry, Nigel Reo-Coker and keeper Brad Friedel, who were all rested for the UEFA Cup win over Slavia Prague on Thursday.

Boro will be without Rhys Williams (knee) and Mohamed Shawky (thigh), but could welcome back defender Robert Huth for the trip to the Midlands if the former Chelsea player shakes off a foot injury in time.

Aston Villa: (from) Friedel, Guzan, L Young, Cuellar, Laursen, Davies, Shorey, Milner, Routledge, Barry, Reo-Coker, Sidwell, A Young, Carew, Agbonlahor, Harewood, Knight, Gardner, Salifou, Osbourne, Delfouneso

Middlesbrough: (from) Turnbull, Huth, Hoyte, Wheater, Taylor, O’Neil, Riggott, Pogatetz, Digard, Mido, Aliadiere, Emnes, Alves, Tuncay, Downing, Arca, Jones, Bates, A Johnson, J Johnson, McMahon, Stelle, Porritt, Owens, Hines, Grounds, Walker