Liverpool ramp up bid to sign Downing but Aston Villa reject £15m offer
By Dominic King
Last updated at 11:14 PM on 5th July 2011
Liverpool have cranked up the pressure in their pursuit of Stewart Downing after making a £15million bid for the England winger.
Downing is Liverpool's No 1 summer target but Aston Villa rebuffed the offer from Anfield.
Villa are determined to hold out for their £19m asking price for the 26-year-old, who was the club's Player of the Year last season.
However, Downing has his heart set on a move to Merseyside and has made it clear that he has no plans to extend his current contract, which has two years left to run.
The next move will be down to Liverpool but Villa will be bracing themselves for a renewed offer.
One possibility would be for Liverpool to include David Ngog as part of the deal, given that new Villa manager Alex McLeish is an admirer of the French striker and wants cover for Darren Bent.
Clearly, the Midlands club would prefer straight cash to bring in reinforcements, having just lost Ashley Young to Manchester United.
Ngog saw a move to Sunderland fall through last month after they baulked at the £4m fee but he could be an attractive proposition for Villa.
Having missed out on a number of targets in recent weeks, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is anxious to change the fact that Jordan Henderson has been his sole signing of the summer so far.
Henderson, however, will have to wait a little longer before launching his Anfield career, as his involvement in the European Under 21 Championship with England will prevent him travelling to the Far East on Liverpool's pre-season tour.
Steven Gerrard will also miss the games in China and Kuala Lumpur after it was decided he would be better served by staying at the club's Melwood training base.
Dalglish said: 'Steven and the medical team have done fantastically well so far and they are in the final stages of getting him back to full training.
'I'm sure there will be supporters disappointed that Steven is unable to be with us in Asia, but I'm sure the same people will appreciate the importance of Steven giving himself the best opportunity of being fit to play against Sunderland on the opening day of the new campaign.
'Steven continuing his rehabilitation programme at Melwood is in everybody's long-term interests.'
Gerrard, who last played for Liverpool in the 3-1 win over Manchester United on March 6, added: 'After sitting down and talking with the medical experts and technical staff, it's been decided that it is best for me to continue my rehabilitation programme at Melwood.'
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2011599/Liverpool-table-15m-bid-Stewart-Downing.html#ixzz1RImShFQc