MIDDLESBROUGH are determined to make the right moves in the transfer market this summer, in an attempt to ensure Stewart Downing becomes 'one of the best players in Europe' while he is at the Riverside Stadium.

Liverpool are weighing up a multi-million pound move for the England winger and are looking at ways of including numerous players as part-exchange.

But Boro are determined to retain the services of their most valuable asset and are hoping to increase the size of Gareth Southgate's squad rather than reduce it before pre-season training starts on July 7.

Southgate hopes that deals for two midfielders - Paris St Germain's Didier Digard and Reading's James Harper - will soon be finalised, while he also hopes to add a more creative midfielder.

Boro's chief executive Keith Lamb is confident that all three deals will be done ahead of the players' return to Rockliffe Park a week on Monday, although Fulham's Jimmy Bullard is not thought to be in Boro's sights despite reports to the contrary.

Lamb is well aware that the rebuilding process, following the departures of Fabio Rochemback and Gaizka Mendieta, would suffer if Downing were sold.

Despite signing a new five-year deal, worth around £9m, in February, Downing's future continues to attract speculation, with Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez known to be an admirer.

Lamb said: "We were all delighted that Stewart signed a new contract last season. We believe he is happy and settled here. Having said that, we know that Stewart has to achieve all that his talent allows, so the onus is on Middlesbrough to ensure his ambitions are fulfilled here.

"Stewart's got everything as a player and is playing possibly the best football of his career, both for Middlesbrough and for England. But I don't feel that he has fulfilled his potential yet. His best years are ahead of him. We believe he will become one of the best footballers in Europe."

Downing spoke at length in January about the satisfaction he felt following the arrival of Brazilian striker Afonso Alves in a club record £12.7m deal.

After Alves scored six goals in his last seven matches of the season for Middlesbrough, there is a growing belief on Teesside that the 27-year-old could become the club's first 20-goals-a-season man since Fabrizio Ravanelli.

Having the strikers he wants at his disposal, Southgate has turned his attention towards the midfield area and he expects deals for Digard and Harper to be concluded.

The arrival of Frenchman Digard, for a fee thought to be in the region of £4.5m, has been expected for a number of weeks, while Southgate's interest in Harper has only become known in the last few days.

It is understood the 27-year-old former Arsenal man is keen on a move to the North-East, although Middlesbrough have yet to match Reading's valuation, believed to be around £4m.

Boro are thought to have offered £3m but the Royals are looking for more as they will have to pay Arsenal around a third of any fee they receive.

"Negotiations are going very well and we hope to have most of our incoming transfer activity completed before the players return to training on July 7," said Lamb. "Everything is going well and we are confident of completing two or three new signings soon.

"Our summer arrivals will endorse our vision of building a squad of players who are young, ambitious and high-energy performers supported with a smattering of experience."

The deadline for Boro's season card renewals is tomorrow at 5pm. It is also the deadline for under-18s to snap up season cards for £95 and for 18-21s to purchase them for £195.

The Riverside ticket office is open from 9.30am to 7pm today and from 9.30am to 5pm tomorrow. Same seat renewals are available online at www.mfc.co.uk, while season card application forms can also be downloaded from the club's website.