Burnley are reportedly keen on Middlesbrough’s Stewart Downing.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, Middlesbrough are to open talks with Stewart Downing over a new contract with Premier League side Burnley monitoring his situation.
The 34-year-old’s current deal at Boro expires in the summer, but a clause in his contract means Downing is entitled to a one-year extension should he reach 150 league starts.
The Daily Mail reports that Boro are looking to reduce their wage bill after heavy expenditure, while Downing currently sits on a £35,000-per-week deal having reached 149 starts.
The former Boro academy product is in his second spell at the club, re-joining the Teesside team on a four-year deal in 2015, and he is deemed an important player having made 22 league starts this month.
It is claimed that Downing does not want to leave the club, while Tony Pulis wants to count on his service for the remainder of the Championship campaign, with Boro currently fifth in the table.
But his situation has resulted in Downing starting the past three Championship games on the bench and, to maintain their promotion push, Boro are seemingly keen on thrashing out a new deal.
Burnley are reportedly monitoring the situation, with manager Sean Dyche possibly seeing Downing as an experienced player who could make a difference to the Clarets’ bid for top-flight survival.
The Lancashire club are currently in 16th position, three points above the drop zone having taken ten points from their last four games.
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