Stewart Downing has been tipped to join Tony Mowbray at Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers when his Boro contract expires.
Blackburn Rovers are indeed interested in signing Middlesbrough winger Stuart Downing this summer, the club’s chief executive Steve Waggott has told the Lancashire Telegraph.
Downing is out of contract this summer and a player who has featured over 400 times in Boro colours over two spells looks set to bid farewell to the Riverside in just a few weeks’ time.
The Teesside Gazette claims that the 34-year-old is set to hold talks with Rangers ahead of a potential reunion with his former England and Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard.
Blackburn have also been linked with the report adding that Downing is under consideration over a potential move to Ewood Park.
And Waggot has now admitted that Downing is in fact on Rovers’ radar, pointing out that the presence of Middlesbrough legend Tony Mowbray in the dugout could potentially stand them in good stead.
“We have a relatively young squad and I think Tony will be looking at some experienced players. Obviously he has known Stewart for a while,” Waggot said.
“There’s a lot of things happening at Middlesbrough regarding their manager, could it be Jonathan Woodgate, and if is then would Downing stay with him? If it’s not him, then who is it, does he want to keep him? If he leaves, where does he want to go?
“If he is going to be on the move then hopefully the relationship Tony and Mark (Venus) have with him, and him knowing them, might put us in a strong position.”
Downing has a real admiration for former Middlesbrough captain and coach Mowbray, describing the 55-year-old as a ‘legend’. And the prospect of working with in the autumn years of his career could prove tempting despite the possibility to trying his hand at Ibrox.
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