Mark Walters warns Aston Villa not to sell Stewart Downing – EPL News
Legendary Aston Villa winger, Mark Walters, has warned the Villans that they risk relegation from the Barclays Premier League should Stewart Downing join Ashley Young on the way out of the Villa Park in the same transfer window.
Downing and Young were the two most influential Villa players last season. The English pair played crucial roles in Villa’s survival campaign and helped the club to finish in the top half of the league table.
Young had one year left on his contract at the Villa and wanted to join one of the elite Premier League clubs, and Aston Villa sold the English winger to Manchester United.
Now Downing has been the subject of intense transfer speculations. The 26-year-old has two years remaining on his contract with Aston Villa and has been heavily linked with a move away from the Villa Park.
Liverpool have been targeting Downing for some time now. The Reds manager, Kenny Dalglish, wants to sign a wide player in order to increase the depth and strength of his squad. The Merseyside club were heavily linked with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ashley-Young-c6813 and Charles N’Zogbia.
However, Young joined Manchester United and N’Zogbia is not willing to relocate.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 have now set their sights on Downing and have already made an official offer of for the 26-year-old.
But Walters believes that Aston Villa’s newly appointed manager, Alex McLeish, should keep hold of Downing and concentrate on rebuilding the Villans squad instead of selling the players.
Walters reckons that Aston Villa would face another disappointing season and might end up being demoted should they decide to sell Downing in this summer. Walters believes that Aston Villa have no players to replace Downing and Young and it would be suicidal
to let the English winger leave the club.
The legendary Villa winger said, “To say that selling Downing would leave them weak would be a massive understatement. It would be suicidal. Selling him just after Ashley Young would mean Villa should expect another relegation fight as we don’t have the
type of players to replace them.”
After rejecting Liverpool’s £15 million offer for Downing, Aston Villa are expected to let the English winger to leave the club for an improved bid of £20m. Walters believes that the Villans are asking the right price for their most prized asset.
“Every player has their price and £20m is a great price for http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Stewart-Downing-c34221.” Mark Walters said.
Stewart Downing was named Aston Villa’s Player of the Season last year for his consistent and impressive performances through the campaign. The 26-year-old played every single Premier League match last season and found the net seven times.
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