Middlesbrough are the first team, or so it seems, to have made a formal offer to West Ham for winger Stewart Downing - a player that the Swans have been linked with in the past week.

The Swans were linked with a move for Downing earlier this week after it was reported in the Northern Echo that us - along with Leicester, Newcastle and Sunderland - were all keen on taking the wide man away from Upton Park.

There is a level of surprise in me I must admit that West Ham are considering letting Downing go considering he had one of his best seasons last season scoring 6 goals in total and appearing in 36 of the 38 games West Ham played in the league.

I have to say though that I am not sure the Swans were ever in for Downing who is reported anyway as wanting a move back to his native North East. There doesn't seem a vacancy here for Downing especially when you consider the summer capture of Andre Ayew who is added to the wide options that we have with Dyer, Routs, Montero, Emnes and Barrow.

Adding a sixth option to that listing will surely have to mean that one is leaving and the reported interest in Nathan Dyer may increase that chance but even then I cannot see Downing coming here - either him wanting to or us waning him.

The Northern Echo reports "It is understood that Boro officials have been in contact with their Upton Park counterparts over the last few of days and an offer worth around £5m was lodged for the 30-year-old.

"Boro are the front-runners and he is understood to have a preference to return to Teesside to try to help Middlesbrough back to the Premier League for the first time since 2009.

Provided West Ham accept the offer, Downing will head to the North-East to undergo a medical and to discuss personal terms although there is unlikely to be any major problems. "

Think we can file this one away under a non-starter

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