Stewart Downing is this morning being reported as a £7 million target for Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson.
The arrival of highly gifted playmaker Dimitri Payet may make it easier for the Irons to entertain bids for the player.
Pearson is understood ready to offer around £7 million for the England international which would see the Irons come to within just under £4 million of balancing the books on the Payet signing.
Sunderland are also keen- at around £5 million – although a move to his former club Middlesbrough looks unlikely given the additional interest from Leicester at Leicester’s interest
Downing will go but I think it will be a double bid from Newcastle of more than £15 million for him and Carroll that will clinch it,
I like your thinking bubs.Then for Nolanihino,JOB etc
He should only be allowed to leave when a replacement is signed
If it’s a bidding war and the offer is good considering his age I think he’ll go. I’d rather he stayed to boost the squad but I’d hope the money will be reinvested
the biggest problem last season was lack of competition, so if they get good money for him we need to replace him,
Should keep him but if a suitable replacement can be found then maybe it will be good money for him.He does blow hot & cold,but having said that so do many wingers.
Downing is a strange one,a winger that can’t really play on the wing but reasonable in a free role.7 million for a 30 year old who flatters to deceive and 7 million to put towards a younger replacement ,if he stays he stays if he goes he goes that pretty much sums it up with him.
£7m for a 31yr old is pretty good money for what Downing is.Agree,its a difficult one for me whether we should cash in or not.If we have a younger version of him we can snap up then i would probably sell.I admit to never being one of his biggest fans but he did well early doors before hippo had the brainwave of sticking him back out on the wing.If Slav can turn him into a man not a girly that might help as well.
If the money is okay then let him go.Another of Allardyce’s pets.As is already been said reinvest in youth.I always thought Downing’s pace was questionable.