West Ham have warned Sunderland they will want “at least” their money back should the Black Cats move for Stewart Downing.
Reports were circulating this morning – led by the local paper, The Northern Echo – that manager Dick Advocaat wanted the player and could make a move as early as this week.
But an Irons source told ClaretandHugh this evening: “Why would Stewart want to go there ? He was one of our best players last season and it’s usually the bigger clubs that are interested not those nearer the middle or, as was the case last season, towards the bottom.
“In any event, we would want the £5 million back we spent on him and a small profit. There has been no approach and Stewart will be looking forward to the new season under a more attacking minded coach than Sam Allardyce.
“We don’t see him leaving West Ham for Sunderland.”
Would keep him this season with european games as well.Assuming we qualify for the group stage.Then fire him out the door next summer if he doesnt stop being such a pussy 😉
He looked really good for a couple months last season until the ex-manager shunted him back out onto the wing to make room for the lump.Then he just reverted back to the average Stew Downing we all expect.Hope Slav can get that early doors form out of him again.If we could bring in a couple of creative players i would cash in on him.But the europa league will mean he stays i think 😉
Keep him,but only because of europe.If we were not in that & didnt need extra legs for it i would look to cash in on him.He frustrates the hell out of me sometimes.Such a wimp as well,lol
Yep,we will need him,but he does my head in sometimes 😉
So far, all the ‘so-called’ reports and ‘insider’ stories have all come to nothing, as another week has slipped by with any of the ‘hot targets’ we are supposed to be seriously in for, conspicuous only by their absence
Therefore this latest one on Downing4 should be treated with a large dose of salt. The idea of us parting with Downing without another quality midfielder already on the books seems very far fetched and about as valid as the rest.
They are all just ‘whistling in the wind’ Canchaz 😀
Touché Stingray. Didn’t I also see from another source that the Payet decision will be today
Dont know Can.Have given up on taking notice of sources 😉
We can be pretty sure there will a signing soon ,, with all the names being banded about how will there not be ,,,,, we only need a couple more players ( especially midfield ) to bolster up the squad .,,, we already have a pretty useful bunch of players as it is , it now all depends on how those players are deployed by Bilic and the kind of football that lets the players express themselves . Downing should definitely be in Bilcs plans and I am finding it hard to understand all the speculation around Him … Offer him a better contract and end it all . Why would Downing want to leave West Ham anyway ?.
Definitely keep – he showed in spells last season that he can still produce if played in the right way. Trouble was ole Hippo Head made teams fit to systems. I think Slav will build a team and systems around key individuals.