Aston Villa are ready to push through a deal for Middlesbrough attacker Tuncay Sanli.

The Evening Gazette says Martin O'Neill was preparing an audacious double bid to land both Tuncay and Stewart Downing.

It's still possible that both players could end up at Villa Park, but with the new season moving ever closer, the urgency to land the highly-rated Turkey international increases day by day.

O'Neill has already lost influential midfielder Gareth Barry to Manchester City in a £12m deal and is resigned to losing pacy wideman Ashley Young.

Tuncay, a proven Premier League talent, would cost in the region of £8m, and, given Downing's injury, is Boro's most saleable asset.

Gareth Southgate is realistic about the situation, saying: "I'd expect there would be a lot of interest in a player of Tuncay's quality and I wouldn't think we would be able to hold on to someone of his ability. I would class him as a top half of the Premier League player."