Legal action threatened as Downing row heats up

2:01am Thursday 31st January 2008

STEWART DOWNING'S agent has threatened legal action against Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson after the England winger's contract feud took a further twist last night.

Downing's long-term representative, Ian Elliott, has verbally clashed with Gibson publicly in recent days following the pair's failure to reach an agreement over a new deal for the player.

As talks continued with Heerenveen over the transfer of Brazilian striker Afonso Alves ahead of tonight's deadline, Downing looks certain to stay despite suggestions to the contrary throughout January.

But Middlesbrough's most successful graduate of their Academy system has witnessed his situation deteriorate in recent days, in light of strong comments from both Elliott and Gibson.

Gibson initially reacted to claims from Elliott that his client will leave when the remaining two-and-a-half years of his contract have expired, having turned down an offer which did not reflect the club's '£12m valuation'.

The Middlesbrough chief claimed that Elliott's actions may not be in the player's best interests, prompting an angry riposte which looks certain to end in the courts.

Elliott said: "I am very saddened by the comments made by Steve Gibson. I strongly deny that I am not acting in the best interests of my client.

"Stewart Downing has been a client of mine for almost ten years. I would consider him and his family close friends as well as clients. I would never act in anything other than his best interests.

"I consider the remarks by Mr Gibson to be defamatory and the matter is now in the hands of my legal advisors. I will be making no further comment on this subject."

It is claimed that Downing has been offered a five-year contract, equating to £35,000-a-week on appearances, although that is still below the top earners at the club.

Gibson, however, is furious at the way Elliott has gone about trying to get improved terms. Gibson said in yesterday's The Times: "We made a substantial offer, which reflects Stewart's status at our club and in our team."

The situation did little to affect Downing himself on Tuesday night, when his outstanding first-half display in the 1-0 win over Wigan must have impressed the on-looking England manager Fabio Capello.

It was the 23-year-old's precise ball over the top which created Jeremie Aliadi-ere's match-winning first goal for the club at the Riverside Stadium.

It is that sort of display the rest of the Middlesbrough squad are keen to see continue, although Aliadiere thinks a parting of the ways will be inevitable if a compromise can't be reached soon.

"Stewart is a very important player and every time you give him the ball you know he is looking to play football, good football," said the Frenchman. "He is a great player and it's nice to have him in the club.

"He is playing every week and we are trying to make him happy. If we can make him happy on the pitch then it should be that he is happy playing at this club.

"I left Arsenal in the summer because I wanted to leave. That happens. If you want to leave you want to leave. Maybe he wants a new challenge."

"When you have been at a club for a long time, sometimes it's nothing to do with the club, it's more about players wanting a change. He is, though, certainly a player we should be doing everything to keep." While Downing's wrangle with the club continues, Middlesbrough are still actively working on adding Alves to Gareth Southgate's playing staff, while Inter Milan's teenage striker Goran Slavkovski is also training at Rockliffe Park.

Aliadiere is unconcerned by Southgate's determination to bolster his attacking options. Instead the £1.5m buy from Arsenal believes it is an indication that Boro still want to strive for the top six following the departure of Jonathan Woodgate to Tottenham.

"It's great for the club that Alves is around," said Aliadiere, well aware that the fee for Alves could be in excess of £12m and that would break Middlesbrough's transfer record.

"If he can come in and score goals which will help us win games then that's fantastic for us. It shows the ambition is still there. Because we let Woodgate go, people should not view that as a lack of ambition. Not at all." Provided an agreement between Boro and Heerenveen can be reached in time, an appeal hearing for Alves' work permit application will be heard this afternoon. And, if successful, he could even be included in Sunday's squad for the trip to Newcastle, although there will not be a place for Slavkovski.

The 18-year-old has been on Teesside and he could arrive on loan until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent arrangement, after calling Middlesbrough the perfect club'.

Slavkovski has Macedonian roots but has represented Sweden from Under-15s through to Under 19-s. He joined Inter Milan in 2005 from Malmo but has found opportunities limited since become Inter's youngest debutant in Serie A in May 2006 against Siena.

Young Boro defender Matthew Bates, meanwhile, is set to join Norwich on loan to build up his match fitness after injury.

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