Boro blast Tottenham over Downing bid

Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb has slammed Tottenham for making what he termed a “derisory” bid for England winger Stewart Downing.

“It is a derisory offer,” he told the News of the World, adding that Spurs were guilty of hypocrisy when it came to prising players away from their clubs.

“Who on earth do they think they are? They bleated away when Dimitar Berbatov left for Manchester United in the summer – but they sold at top dollar.

“Then they want to snatch other players for derisory offers and try to unsettle players. That is what has happened here. Their offer is a joke.

“Why would we sell our best players to our nearest rivals? Stewart is going nowhere,” said Lamb.

Boro are understood to want 15 million pounds (16.5 million euros) for Downing, 24, with Spurs opening their bidding at only 11 million.