Back in January, Middlesbrough winger (and John Cusack look-alike) Stewart Downing was disappointed. He saw the club faltering, didn’t like the lack of ambition, and wanted out. So he turned in his transfer request to the board; Gareth Southgate had no money in January, and whether he accepted Tottenham’s £14.5 million offer or Liverpool’s £12 million one, he’d have a little to spend to strengthen his side. That kind of money may not make or break a larger club, but for a team on the bottom of the table with no financial backing, it would’ve helped.
Instead of doing what everyone expected, Gareth Southgate and the board turned down both the transfer request and the offers. With ‘Boro about to be relegated, though, all signs pointed to Downing’s exit in the summer – likely at a cut rate – anyways, meaning the player would ultimately get the request he filed for.
Obviously, though, there’s no story here if everything went according to plan.
On Sunday against Aston Villa (who ironically were also considering signing him), Downing and his £15 million valuation took what market analysts typically call a “nose dive” when he suffered long term foot damage that could leave him sidelined for six months. Unfortunately for Downing, the six months he may be missing could actually encompass both transfer windows, leaving him to either ply his trade in the Championship for a season or accept a cut-rate salary.
In turn, Middlesbrough won’t be able to cash in on the winger, quite possibly leaving them with very little money left in the transfer kitty to get back up next year.
