Steve Gibson says Middlesbrough will not stand in
Stewart Downing’s way if he wants to move, but they will only let
him join a club they deem suitable.
”We had an unspoken agreement that if the right club came in,
and I believe Stewart is a top-four club player, we wouldn’t stand
in his way,” Gibson told The Daily Star. “It’s a short career.
”There comes a point where a player must sit down and, without
emotion, make a decision about his career.
”He has five or six years left at the top. Can I offer him
European football? No. Does he deserve European football? Yes.”