STEWART DOWNING will undergo a medical on Teesside later today after West Ham United officials finally gave him formal permission to complete his return to Middlesbrough.

Downing will complete medical tests and tie up the loose ends of his personal terms within the next 24 hours, with confirmation of his return to the Riverside expected tomorrow.

The 30-year-old is set to sign a five-year deal that will effectively mean him ending his career at Middlesbrough, the club he first joined as a teenager before progressing through the Rockliffe Park academy to make his senior debut in 2002.

The West Ham hierarchy have agreed to accept an initial payment of £5m, with the fee potentially rising as high as £7m if Boro secure promotion over the course of Downing’s new contract.

The midfielder is understood to have accepted a cut in the wages he was receiving at Upton Park, although he will still be one of the highest-paid players in the Championship, with Boro having put together a financial package lucrative enough to persuade him to drop down to the Football League.

The Teessider’s capture represents a considerable coup for Boro chairman Steve Gibson, who has played a pivotal role in the negotiations over his return.

Downing has won 35 senior England caps, and was regarded as West Ham’s most influential player for the majority of last season.

However, the arrival of new Hammers boss Slaven Bilic forced a rethink over his future, and Middlesbrough’s recruitment team made the midfielder their number one priority from an early stage of the summer break.

Despite competing interest from a number of Premier League sides, including Sunderland and Leicester City, Downing indicated a desire to return to his hometown club from an early stage of discussions.

He is understood to regard the challenge of restoring Middlesbrough to the top-flight as a fitting way to cap his career, and is set to play in a central attacking midfield position next season.

He had hoped to wrap up a move earlier in the summer, but Bilic refused to sanction his departure until he had midfield additions of his own.

Italian Manuel Lanzini is set to join West Ham on loan from Al Jazira within the next 24 hours, with a view to a permanent transfer next summer, a development that has enabled Downing to complete his return to Teesside.

With the rest of the Boro squad currently on a training break in Marbella, it remains to be seen whether Downing heads straight out to Spain or remains at Rockliffe Park ahead of his new team-mates’ return next week.

Either way, his return to action in a Boro shirt on home soil is expected to come in the friendly at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, July 25.

Downing will be joined by Uruguay international Christian Stuani next season, with the striker set to confirm his own move to Middlesbrough once he has completed his post-Copa America break.

Boro have agreed a fee of around €3m with Spanish side Espanyol, and Stuani’s personal terms are not expected to pose a problem.

The Teessiders have also made a number of attempts to sign Daryl Murphy this summer, but the Republic of Ireland international will not be leaving Ipswich Town after signing a new two-year contract at Portman Road yesterday.

Ipswich had been demanding more than £5m for the 32-year-old, whose 27 goals made him the Championship’s leading goalscorer last season.

“All summer I have heard the rumours and seen the stories in the papers, and I’ve had my family and friends ringing me and asking me what’s going on,” said Murphy.

“I kept telling them I wasn’t going anywhere, and not to believe everything they read in the papers. I was just trying to enjoy my holiday. I knew that I’d be here at Ipswich when I came back for pre-season, and I’m just pleased that it’s all out of the way.”