11 MORE Players Newcastle Have ALREADY Missed Out On This Summer
2. Stewart Downing
To be honest, we're praying a bit on this one... The former England midfielder, who did have an impressive first half to last season at West Ham, has thankfully been heavily linked with a return to his first club Middlesbrough. The Teessiders are reportedly willing to offer the winger around £75,000 per week in the Championship in what has to be one of the more outlandish silly season lines... Also linked with Sunderland in recent days, numerous reports suggested Newcastle were favourites to sign the former Aston Villa man before The Chronicle stated that Steve McClaren would not be bidding for Downing, in spite of being offered the midfielder by the Hammers. It was a natural link to make due to the fact McClaren nurtured Downing through the Middlesbrough youth ranks, playing the now 30-year-old in the 2004 League Cup final win and 2006 UEFA Cup final loss to Sevilla. The Magpies would have needed to pay between £5 million and £7 million to secure the 35-cap England internationals signature. On the face of things this would have been looked upon as terrible business by Newcastle, but then again, Downing created 84 chances for his Hammers team mates last season with only Eden Hazard (99), David Silva (91) and Cesc Fabregas (91) producing a greater number in the entirety of the Premier League. Now that's made you think, hasn't it?
