Stewart Downing's father claims his son needs to leave Middlesbrough to fulfill his ambitions. The 24-year-old has handed in a transfer request despite signing a new five-year deal in February last year, and the club is adamant they will not sell their star players.
His father, Stewart Sr, told the Evening Gazette: "Stewart's been frustrated since the summer, really.
"When he signed his new contract he was assured that there would be significant investment in the squad.
"Obviously as a Middlesbrough lad, he's thought long and hard about the decision to hand in a transfer request, and he also hopes the fans will understand his reasons for doing so."
