Championship high-flyers Middlesbrough are reportedly ready to offer Liverpool winger Stewart Downing a return to his hometown club.Boro have been monitoring Downing's situation for the past few weeks as it has become apparent he is not going to be a first-choice starter under Brendan Rodgers.
Now Liverpool look ready to sanction a loan deal, which has alerted Boro to the possibility of striking a move for the 28-year-old.
Whilst a number of Premier League sides are known to also be keen on taking Downing from January, Boro are in a position where they could possibly strike a deal this week before Thursday's loan deadline.
Boro's initial thought was to wait until January but, with injuries impacting their squad in recent weeks, they are now ready to make a move this week, although it appears they face an uphill battle to try and do it before Thursday.
Boro's hierarchy are understood to have given the green light to a move for Downing, who is on considerable wages at Liverpool and a portion of them would need to be covered by any club taking him.
But, as with Jonathan Woodgate who returned in the summer, Boro hope the lure of moving back to The Riverside and possibly helping them back to the Premier League could be enough of an incentive for him to persuade him to drop down to the Championship for six months.
Downing left Boro in 2009 after making over 200 appearances for the club and joined Aston Villa, before moving to Liverpool last year.
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