Source: Northern_Echo
Dalglish targets Downing
SUNDERLAND are braced to miss out on signing Stewart Downing after it emerged Liverpool are planning a £12m raid for the former Middlesbrough winger, writes PAUL FRASER.[LNB] Downing, whose transfer from the Riverside Stadium in the summer of 2009 is not thought to have included a sell-on clause, has caught the eye of Kenny Dalglish.[LNB] And with Darren Bent on the verge of a £20m-plus move to Villa Park, Aston Villa are looking at ways of bringing in some money to help their transfer tinkering this month.[LNB] Villa manager Gerard Houllier is willing to listen to offers for most of his players and Liverpool are weighing up when to make their move, although the left-winger is one player who Villa are keen to keep.[LNB] Liverpool's interest means Sunderland will now have to act fast if they are to land the Middlesbrough-born winger.[LNB] But with Black Cats manager Steve Bruce's priority now on attracting a replacement for Bent, Sunderland are likely to look to Charles N'Zogbia who is a cheaper alternative.[LNB] Wigan's N'Zogbia, the former Newcastle winger, is likely to see his value dropped to around £6m in the summer.[LNB]
