Downing at Villa training ground ahead of £12m move

Downing at Villa training ground ahead of £12m move

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Aston Villa are working to tie up a move for England winger Stewart Downing after agreeing a £12million fee with Middlesbrough.

The 24-year-old midfielder arrived at Villa's training headquarters on crutches on Wednesday afternoon as he took a break from his rehabilitation from foot surgery to hold talks with manager Martin O'Neill.

He headed for the midlands after the two clubs reached agreement over his value amid continuing speculation that Ashley Young could be heading through the exit door.

Downing's injury, suffered in a clash with Villa midfielder Stiliyan Petrov in the penultimate game of last season, means he is unlikely to play again until October at the earliest, and he may be out of action for some time longer.

However, O'Neill has made his move in the hope of avoiding a bidding war in January when other clubs might have been prepared to do business more readily once he had proved his fitness.

There was no comment from either club today, but Villa have emerged as serious contenders to land Downing - they have also been linked with an £8million bid for team-mate Tuncay Sanli - in the last few weeks.

The Middlesbrough-born player's departure from his home-town club has been inevitable for some time, and particularly since they lost their battle to remain in the Premier League.

Long-term admirers Tottenham staged their latest raid on the Riverside Stadium in January, but once again met stubborn resistence from chairman Steve Gibson.

Gibson simply refused to do business with the Londoners as he desperately fought to keep Boro in the top flight.

However, he did enter into a gentlemen's agreement with the player that he could leave during the summer, provided that a big club came in for him with an acceptable bid.

Spurs and Everton are among the clubs to have also been linked with Downing, although whether Gibson would have been prepared to do business with the White Hart Lane outfit after their dogged pursuit of the player in recent years is a matter for debate.

Villa will hope their move is decisive, even if they would have to wait some time to see Downing in action.

He visited his specialist in London last Tuesday and was told he could step up his rehabilitation.

He will return in September to have a screw removed from the damaged bone, and will then he able to begin training in earnest, although it would still be several weeks at least before he was in any position to be considered for selection.

Downing is understood to have had his heart set on Spurs in January and was disappointed with Gibson's refusal to let him go.

But to his credit, he knuckled down and did all he could to help the club at which he emerged from the Academy ranks to force his way into the senior international set-up, avoid the drop.

Ultimately, his efforts were in vain, and he will hope a swift return to the Premier League will keep alive his chances of a trip to next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa.

If the deal does go through, manager Gareth Southgate will at least be able to console himself with a major cash inject for his rebuilding fund - and the removal of a significant proportion of the club's wage bill - as he prepares for what he hopes will be a short stay in English football's second tier.

He has already added Colchester winger Mark Yeates to his squad and has England Under-21 international Adam Johnson at his disposal as he looks for a replacement.