Aston Villa boss http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alex-c4752 McLeish reiterates Stewart Downing will not be sold – EPL News
Aston Villa manager, Alex McLeish, has asserted that the Villan’s want-away winger, Stewart Downing, will not be sold despite the Englishman being heavily linked with a move away from Villa Park.
Stewart Downing was a revelation at the Birmingham-based club last season. The 26-year-old played a big role in helping Aston Villa to finish in the top half of the Barclays Premier League standings despite the Villans enduring a poor season.
The Englishman has attracted interest from a number of clubs after hugely impressing under http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Everton-c13019 and Liverpool are all interested in the English winger.
However, Liverpool are leading the chase for Downing’s signature. Despite having a plethora of midfield options at Anfield, Kenny Dalglish wants to land a speedy winger to his squad. After losing http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ashley-Young-c6813 to Manchester United, the KOP boss wants to bring
Downing to the Merseyside club.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 have already made an official £15 million bid for the Villan’s English winger but Aston Villa rejected the bid. However, the Reds are likely to return with a better offer Downing.
Downing, who has two years remaining on his current contract at Aston Villa, has also publically expressed his desire to leave the Birmingham club and rejected club’s contract extension recently.
However, McLeish is determined to keep hold of the want-away English winger and is confident that he can persuade Downing into staying at Villa Park.
“He had a magnificent season last year and really came to full maturity as a top player. I understand why there are teams interested in him and that is what happens when you play well consistently,” McLeish was full of praise for Downing in an interview.
McLeish believes that Downing is the most prized asset of Aston Villa and wants to keep the English winger at the Villa Park for the next season. The former Birmingham boss confirmed that he will hold talks with the 25-year-old winger whenever the player
returns for preseason training this week.
He said, “His performances last season were top-drawer. That's why he's not for sale. The club don't want to sell him. I spoke to him briefly last week and I intend speaking to him again when all the lads are back in for training.”
Liverpool are in desperate search of a winger and have set their sights on http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/David-c10409 N’Gog as a makeweight.
Stewart Downing was one of the few players to have played every single Premier League match last season, where the winger scored eight goals in a http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Total-c40747 of 44 appearances.
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