Middlesbrough midfielder Stewart Downing has dismissed all rumours linking him with a January move from the Riverside, insisting that he wants to play for Boro.

The 24-year old has been linked with a January move to either Tottenham Hotpur or Aston Villa as he is still said to be looking to sign for a bigger club. But the England international winger insists that he is happy at the Riverside and emphaizes on the contract he signed with Boro earlier this year.

Downing is quoted as saying: “I signed a long term-deal earlier this year and my only aim at the minute is to try and get into Europe with Middlesbrough. This is my hometown club, I started here and it’s the only club I’ve played for apart from a spell on loan at Sunderland.

“There is always going to be speculation with players and you’ve just got to blank it out because if you concentrate on what the press is saying your form will dip and that doesn’t help you or the team.

“This is an important time for us, my performances have been going well and I don’t want my form to dip again. Over the last couple of seasons it’s been like this and I didn’t let it affect me, so I’m not going to let it affect me now. I just want to concentrate on playing well for Boro.”

Well, if Downing truly expects to play in Europe with Boro, then sadly, he is not going to achieve that. So although understandably he is willing to play on for Middlesbrough, since his ambition is to play European competitions, then maybe he might be convinced to leave the Riverside before long.