Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has warned Tottenham against hoping for a late U-turn on their decision not to sell winger Stewart Downing.
The north London club are understood to have turned to alternative targets after having two official offers for Downing rejected by the Teessiders, with Southgate denying claims that a third bid amounting to £14.5million had been received.
However, if they are harbouring any hopes of a change of heart at the Riverside Stadium as the transfer window runs down, they have been told to forget it.
That is exactly what happened with striker Ayegbeni Yakubu two summers ago when, after fending off Everton's interest for several weeks, Boro eventually accepted their £11.25million bid with just days of the window to run.
However, that left the Teessiders no time in which to find a replacement, and the lessons have been learnt with Southgate, chairman Steve Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb united in their stance.
Asked if there was any possibility of a repeat of the Yakubu saga, the manager replied: "No.
"That's the relationship we have got. If people phone one of us, they phone all three because we share everything in terms of information.
"We decide on the route we are going to go collectively, and our beliefs on what is right for the club at this moment in time are the statements we have made this week.
"If we weren't united in that, we wlould have come out with different statements.
"It's a period of the season that's a nonsense, but we feel we have got to deal with it as we are.
"We are more fortunate than some in that we haven't got to sel l- other clubs have had to sell.
"Okay, we may not be in a position to buy, but we all understand that and we work with what we have got, which should be a boost for the players who are here because it gives them an opportunity to play first-team football."
Downing has been in the headlines all week after it emerged that he was ready to hand in a written transfer request, which he promptly did on Monday morning with Spurs having made two offers for his services.
That was swiftly rejected by Boro - as were each of the approaches from White Hart Lane - as Lamb insisted neither Downing, nor any of the club's other senior players, was available.
Asked if there is a price at which that situation could change, Southgate said: "No.
"We feel at this time of the year, he is such a talent, such an important player for us, there is no way of replacing him.
"We feel we need to keep a player of Stewart's quality."
Southgate has spent much of his week in an ongoing dialogue with Downing in an effort to address the reasons behind his request, and has had the response for which he had hoped.
He said: "He has been brilliant. he enjoys being at this football club, he wants it to work at this football club.
"He is frustrated about where we are in the league and obviously, another football club has unsettled him.
"But he gets out there and he trains and he works, and he wants to do well for this club.
"All the while he is here, he will give everything he has got, I have got absolutely no concerns about that at all."
Downing is not the only man to be linked with a move away from the Riverside Stadium this month, and Southgate also played down talk of a swap deal involving striker Mido and Newcastle's Alan Smith.
In addition, he insisted Gary O'Neil, who has struggled to settle on Teesside since his £5million switch from Portsmouth during the summer of 2007, is also going nowhere.
He said: "We had an offer, we weren't interested in the offer - he [O'Neil] is not somebody we are looking to let leave this football club.
"The issue with Gary isn't football, but the reality is that for players to leave your football club, you can accept offers, but you have got to replace them.
"Nothing we have had represents any sort of fee that we could replace our players with - and in January, I am not sure we could replace them with any fee.
"That's why we have taken the stance we have."
Your Comments
bluesftw
"i know this may get a bit of backlash but i will admit to not having seen too many of tottenhams games this season, if lennon has improved as everyone suggests he has and is now taking the defenders on and getting in behind more frequently but still can't cross on his right foot, why not bang him out on the left where he still won't be able to cross and maybe Bentley might be able to find some form playing where he knows best?
Just an idea?"
Aquiline
"Downing is average, and that's being generous. The best of a bad bunch at Boro, he only stands out because everyone around him is less than average! Boro should be biting our hands off a that offer, nobody else would pay that sort of money for him. Saying that, I really don't think we should buy him, let alone waste £14.5m on him! Save the money, wrangle Given from Newcastle and keep the change."
pompeymad
"sausage did you ever say anything sensible? by your username NO"
magic_hat
"Three cheers for Championship Yids next season!!!!"
AzzASpurBoi
"sausage listen yeah u mean 2 tell me lennons crossin aint got better since last year. coz its improved and will improve alot more without lennon we are lackin that pace n person 2 take people on bently cant do that he trys crossing from 50 yards and it dont work. he needs 2 improve and quickly yeah n its good to have comptition n whoever sed that wud get rid of bale needs 2 sort it out, he still young and learnin he will get there jus need a proper left winger"
ryanssmile
"Not sure what games you've been watching Sausage, but Lennon has been in great form this year, a definate improvement on last season. I think you are right when you say he can't cross, and why Jol, Ramos and Redknapp can't see that and get him doing nothing but crossing in training, I just don't understand. But he's used his pace properly this season, running at defenders where last season he was running across the pitch all the time, going no-where. His performance at Blackburn was outstanding.
As for Bentley, I'm really disappointed by him. I'm not going to slag the bloke off, but his lack of pace and general fitness has been alarming, as has his lack of quality with set peices. I thought he would be a lot better than he is. At present Lennon deserves his place and Bentley needs to take a seat on the bench. Hopefully he has enough about him to sort himself out."
hotspur2008
"Come on sausage listen to all the other spurs fans yes lennon's crossing is poor but he causes far more problems for defences than Bentley.
I honestly believe Lennon will win his England place back eventually with guidance from Harry being an asset.
Personally i have never rated Downing that highly but at the moment we need a new direction and possibly Harry can see something us mortals can't.
Wouldn't like to lose Bale because he is one for the future.
cmon you spurs."
sausage
"My dear AzzASpurBoi We can all agree that Bentley has not played to his best this season so far but under Ramos he was in and out the side and has been been played out of position (to accomodate Lennon), I would agree that he has to cut out all the fancy flicks and stick to the basics but the one thing that everyone agrees is LENNON CANT CROSS THE BALL he is winger for goodness sake that's his main job . Last season we had Lennon and Malbranque being switched from one flank to the other which does not work so bring in a left winger and if its Downing and they want a swap deal then I would swap Lennon all day long."
markofaspur
"Can't believe some of my fellow Spurs fans are writting off Bently already. Yes his form has been poor, however he's been playing out of position since he got here. Switch him to the right and he will improve. As for Azza, great player whose crossing is improving all the time. Can't understand the journo logic though that if Downing comes one will have to leave. No issue with having two right wingers especially as both have very different qualities. Oh and Downing, one word. Meh"
AzzASpurBoi
"bently ahead of lennon sausage mate you aint seen all the games this f*** all this season even wen he has played on the right!season then obviously lennon has been 1 of the better players all season n every1 has said it so i dnt kno if u sum sort of fake spurs fans or wateva but bently other than the goal has dun "
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