Liverpool and Manchester City have today joined Tottenham in the race to sign Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing. The England international has been heavily linked with a January exit from the Riverside, with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp understood to be winning the race, however now both Mark Hughes and Rafa Benitez are ready to start a massive bidding war for the player.The 24-year old only recently signed a new long-term deal at Boro which will keep him at the club until 2013 and Gareth Southgate has recently spoke of his desire to keep Downing at the club. Downing has been at Boro for over seven years now since joining back in 2001 and has since gone on to make over 180 appearances for the club.
It appears unlikely now that he will remain a Boro player any longer with Benitez, Redknapp and Hughes all prepared to meet the club's valuation of £12 million for the player. Personally, I feel that on his day, there is no better left winger in the Premier League than Downing, however for me he doesn't have enough of those days. I think a lot of people will agree with me when I say, he is a bit overrated and that whoever does eventually sign him may be making a big mistake.
Either Liverpool, Spurs or City will have to pay more than £5.5 million for Downing, but you won't. Yes, the former Sunderland man costs just that in this season's "You the Manager" and he may be worth a look. So follow the link below to enter your team to be in with a chance of winning some terrific weekly and monthly prizes.
