Middlesbrough and Aston Villa have agreed a fee of around €14 million for England winger Stewart Downing. It is understood the two clubs have struck a deal which could see the 24-year-old midfielder leave his home-town club for the midlands.

Downing is currently recovering from foot surgery which is likely to sideline him until October at the earliest, but has been promised by chairman Steve Gibson that he can leave if a big club comes in at the right price.

The player has been at the centre of intense speculation for much of the summer despite his injury, with long-time admirers Tottenham and Everton also having been linked with him.

However, Villa have emerged as suitors for both Downing and Turkey international Tuncay Sanli in recent weeks amid speculation that they were ready to launch a joint swoop.

He is arguably the club’s most saleable player in the wake of a relegation which will drastically reduce their revenue.

Downing looked to be on his way to White Hart Lane in January when Spurs launched their latest bid to sign him, but Gibson put his foot down and insisted the Academy graduate was not for sale.

However, he did strike a gentlemen’s agreement with the player that he could go during the summer if the circumstances were right, and the drop to the Championship meant that was all but inevitable.

The situation has been complicated by the injury, which ironically was suffered in a clash with Villa’s Stiliyan Petrov in the penultimate game of the campaign.

He saw his specialist last week and was given the go-ahead to step up his rehabilitation, and he will return in September to have a screw removed before he can return to full training.

But the news that there was no lasting damage was encouragement to potential buyers, and it would be no surprise if others entered the race now that it has begun in earnest.