Source: Telegraph
Stewart Downing arrival at Aston Villa raises doubts over Ashley Young's future
Having been given permission by Middlesbrough to leave, the midfielder arrived at Villa's training ground in Bodymoor Heath on crutches, but a broken foot is not expected to prevent the 24 year-old from joining for £12 million.
Martin O'Neill, the Villa manager, has played a patient hand in the transfer market this summer, but he moved in on Downing on Wednesday morning with some speed, tabling an offer of £10 million, with a further £2 million depending on appearances.
Middlesbrough accepted, and Downing immediately travelled to Birmingham to begin talks which will continue on Thursday morning. It is expected that he will sign a four-year contract.
O'Neill's interest in Downing was no secret, but signing him now is an intriguing move, for his impact will initially be minimal: his foot injury, sustained, incidentally, in a collision with Villa's Stiliyan Petrov in the penultimate match of last season, is expected to keep him sidelined until October.
Where this leaves Villa's stalled bid for Leeds midfielder Fabian Delph is uncertain, but more interesting will be the impression that Downing's arrival has on the status of Ashley Young.
Young plays in the same position as Downing on the left wing, and has already been mentioned as a possible Chelsea target. It is thought that should a significant bid be tabled – and it would almost certainly have to be in excess of £30 million – Villa would consider it.
For now, though, club sources stress that they have received no official contact from any interested parties and they say that there will be no conflict between the two midfielders, with O'Neill believing that Young and Downing can be accommodated in the same squad.
It appears that Downing is being seen more as a replacement for Gareth Barry.
