Filed under: Football
As Kenny Dalglish and his squad were packing their bags for the journey from China to Malaysia on the next leg of their Far East tour, Stewart Downing was preparing to become a Liverpool player after a £20 million fee was agreed with Aston Villa.And once he passes a medical and puts pen to paper on a contract he will join Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam as the Anfield new boys who, along with Andy Carroll, have hand-picked as the young British talent who can transform Liverpool's fortunes.
Villa are understood to be disappointed to lose the England winger, who used a transfer request to force the move through. Bids of £12 million and £15 million were rejected but once the £20 million figure was hit the Midlands club decided to cash in, and new manager Alex McLeish may now spend a portion of that on Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia as a replacement. N'Zogbia had been in the frame for a Liverpool switch, but only if they couldn't get Downing.
"We have reached an agreement with Liverpool after an improved offer and Stewart's formal transfer request," explained Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner. "We believe there are replacements available who can strengthen our squad."
Downing will probably already know that Liverpool fans aren't that excited by the prospect of seeing him a red shirt despite his 27 England caps and the fact that Arsenal too were interesting in signing him, and the £20 million fee seems to be held as another example of buyers having to spend a premium to recruit home-grown players (certainly it would have sent the Gunners scurrying for cover).
But at 26 the left-footer is at the peak of his powers and if he can provide enough crosses on to the head of Carroll then the doubters will surely be won over and Downing is certainly more of the finished article than the former Newcastle striker, or England Under-21 cap Henderson for that matter. And Adam has only enjoyed a single season in the Premier League, with relegated Blackpool.
So if the stage is set for Downing to prove his worth what then can Villa look forward to? Once again they have banked big bucks for an England international, following Manchester City's purchase of Gareth Barry and then James Milner, and that will give McLeish plenty of leverage to bring in new blood.
But with Ashley Young already having departed to Manchester United, Downing's departure represents a major hole that needs filling and Villa fans will be crossing their fingers that Faulkner has got it right with his claims that the team itself will not dip in quality as that would surely mean another relegation battle.
A successful debut season for Downing as a Liverpool player can only be good for England too as the Three Lions look to book a place in the Euro 2012 finals. If so then there could be a number of Anfield favourites in the squad that travels east. And as it stands it doesn't look like there will be many from Aston Villa...
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