Middlesbrough FC

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Spurs warned off Downing

03 Jan 2009 - 10:13:04

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Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has warned Tottenham Hotspur off trying to sign England winger Stewart Downing in the January transfer window.

The 24-year-old is a rumoured £12million target for Spurs, with Redknapp desperate to bolster his squad this month.

However, Southgate is in no mood to sell, with Boro also down among the relegation dogfight.

He said: "Spurs have expressed an interest in Stewart, but we're not interested in selling him. We think we need to keep hold of our best players.

"If Tottenham are really interested then they have not shown that in the way they have approached it, so there's nothing doing there.

"We feel that keeping the squad we have together is the most important thing we can do.

"What I've said to Stewart is that I don't think now would be a good time for him to be seen to be leaving this football club and I think he's in agreement with that."