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.

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.”

How Much Will Spurs Spend In January? ‘Arry Talk’ Reading Between The Lines

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The New Voice Of Football column at FootballFancast.com

With Spurs boss Harry Redknapp revealing earlier this week that after meeting with chairman Daniel Levy that there will be no big bags of cash to be thrown around in January and that he would be “happy” to get a couple of loan signings in at Tottenham next month. What exactly does he mean?

Well considering Tottenham have spent £50million or thereabouts in the last two summers on players. Does that mean if he is given £20million it’s not lots of cash, or does it mean £5million, £10million?

If you look at the Spurs squad in general there are a few positions that need strengthening immediately. Firstly Tottenham have been crying out for a quality holding midfielder and have been since Michael Carrick left for Manchester United. Second is another striker. The possibility of Fraizer Campbell returning to United, would leave Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent as the only two strikers at White Hart Lane. Even if Campbell sees out his loan, Spurs still need another one. Thirdly is a goalkeeper, whether it is to replace Heurelho Gomes or to provide serious competition. Because if, Arry rated Spurs No2, Cesar Sanchez he would have given him an opportunity by now, with Cesar looking like he is heading back to Spain with Valencia anyway.

My maths is not the best, but I know three won’t go into two ‘loan signings’. Saying that I think he will get a couple in on loan on a try before you buy basis, it’s Redknapp’s ‘wheeler dealer’ way.

However, you can’t always get the type of quality your looking for that way, so some money is going to have to be spent. So will Tottenham sell to buy? If you look outside the regular first-team squad at Tottenham it’s hard to see where substantial funds will be raised from, with the likes of Ricardo Rocha, Paul Stalteri, Gilberto, Adel Taarabt, Hossam Ghaly, Cesar and possibly Chris Gunter likely to be the players Redknapp is keen to sell.

Tottenham would be laughing all the way to the bank if they got anywhere near £15million for the seven of them. Yet, Spurs have been linked with a £16million swoop for West Ham pair Matthew Upson and Robert Green and a £9million move for Elano at Man City along with Venuzuelan midfielder Juan Arango at Real Mallorca, who looks like he will cost from the videos I’ve seen of him. A further £12million for Stewart Downing at Middlesbrough and this is just the last couple of days. Add to that Argentine Fernando Cavenaghi at around £10million from Bordeaux or another decent striker at the same amount and the bill is starting to soar like a tourist’s in a Soho clip joint.

So it just doesn’t add up, Levy will have to back him unless they have agreed to get by until the summer and go LARGE then like Tottenham have in the past two.

I think how much Redknapp is given will depend on if there is European football at White Hart Lane in the New Year. So should Spurs progress in the UEFA Cup next Thursday, which they are expected to do then I can only see money forthcoming from Levy. Yes it won’t be £50million, but it will be enough when added to Redknapp’s wheeling and dealing skills to ensure Tottenham have the players they need come February 1st.

Or to look at it another way, former QPR and Plymouth manager Ian Holloway might have put it like this: ‘When you have just started dating a nice lady and she is doing the business.

‘You take her anywhere she wants to go. It’s when the sparkle disappears, that you stop talking and sit in front of the telly every night, with a bag of chips.’

Redknapp To Wheel & Deal In January?

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp, despite being at a bigger club since he left Portsmouth in October has revealed that Spurs will not be making any major signings, when the transfer window reopens in January.

Instead Redknapp has revealed that after a meeting with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy that he will be “happy” to bring in a couple of players on loan to the Premier League club in January.

Tottenham’s form under Redknapp has been good since his arrival from Pompey, with Redknapp, who has a ‘wheeler dealer’ reputation in the transfer market linked with a host of players from both England and abroad. Included in the players linked with a move to White Hart Lane next month are Welsh International goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey from Wolverhampton Wanderers along with winger Stewart Downing from Premiership rivals Middlesbrough and Argentine Fernando Cavenaghi from French club Bordeaux.

However, Redknapp has claimed there will not be lots of cash spent in January and that he will be content if he can bring in a couple of loan signings to the North London club.

Redknapp told the press: “I had a meeting with the chairman the other day and he said no-one would be spending fortunes. I don't want to spend fortunes anyway.

“If I can bring in some loans, I will be more than happy.”

Redknapp takes Spurs to face former club West Ham United on Monday night in the Premier League, with Redknapp having spent 15 years in total as a player and manager at Upton Park, but will put old friendships aside in a bid to secure all three points and steer Tottenham away from the wrong end of the Premiership.

Liverpool & Man City To Join Spurs In Race For Boro's Downing?

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Manchester City and Liverpool are set to join Tottenham Hotspur in the race for the signature of England International winger Stewart Downing from Middlesbrough, when the transfer window reopens in January, according to reports.

Spurs have been continuously linked with a move to bring24-year-old Downing to White Hart Lane over the past couple of seasons. With Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said to be a big admirer of the left-sided player.

Now reports have suggested that Reds boss Rafa Benitez along with City chief Mark Hughes are also interested in signing Downing from Boro in January and are both prepared to meet Middlesbrough’s £12million valuation of the player.

Hughes is desperate for a left-sided player at the Eastlands Stadium due to the long-term injury to Martin Petrov and has identified Downing as the ideal replacement for the Bulgarian International. Money will be no object for the Blues, should a bidding war commence between the three Premier League clubs in January for the midfielder.

Liverpool on the other hand are widely known to have to sell before Benitez can bring in fresh faces to Anfield, which could leave them trailing in any race for Downing to City or Tottenham. However, the Merseyside club could offer some sort of swap-deal plus cash for Downing, with Yossi Beneyoun and Jermaine Pennant believed to be surplus to requirements at the Premiership club.

Boro manager Gareth Southgate is keen to keep Downing, who recently signed a new five-year deal at the Riverside Stadium. Should a bidding war start for the winger it might be hard for board at the North East club to resist a big-money offer for Downing, who has been at Middlesbrough since 2001.