Source: Eurosport
Southgate: Downing had to go
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has admitted the club had been resigned to losing England winger Stewart Downing for some time.
The 24-year-old clinched a £12million move to Aston Villa on Thursday despite facing months on the sidelines as he recovers from foot surgery.
However, Southgate knew the writing was on the wall as the midfielder grew increasingly unsettled, ultimately handing in a transfer request which was rejected in January as Tottenham once again set their sights on him.
Southgate told BBC Radio Tees: "We have felt for quite a while now that it was going to be very difficult to hang on to Stewart beyond the end of last season whichever division we had been in.
"He had expressed a desire to move on and I am pleased for him he has got the move. It's a good deal for us and Aston Villa have got a player that Martin O'Neill had coveted for a while.
"We wish him well and I hope it works out for him."
