Aston Villa want an early sale for Stewart Downing.
The Express & Star says the 26-year-old winger has two years left on his contract and, although new manager Alex McLeish has expressed a desire to keep the England international, he will not stand in his way if he wants to move to Liverpool.
Villa will hold out for a fee in the region of £19million, although Reds boss Kenny Dalglish may be forced to sell before he can complete the deal for a player he had watched on a number of occasions last season.
The club are eager to resolve Downing's situation sooner rather than later and, as the player has done a U-turn on his decision to sign a new contract, it appears his heart is set on a move elsewhere.
