Stewart Downing has spoken of his delight after sealing a return to his hometown club Middlesbrough.
The England midfielder put pen to paper on a four-year deal on Thursday evening, and said he was proud to be back at the club where it all began for him.
“It’s great to be back home,” Downing told the club’s official website.
“I always said I wanted to come back to this club and I’m delighted the chance has now come,” he added.
“I didn’t put a time limit on it but now the circumstances are right.
“There was a shout about me coming back here on loan when I was at Liverpool, but for one reason or another it didn’t happen. But now I’m here, and I’m absolutely buzzing.”
Stewart Downing has signed a four-year contract (Picture: mfc.co.uk)
Downing – who was a product of the Middlesbrough youth academy – first played for Boro as a 17-year-old in 2002.
He remained there until 2009 before moving, first to Aston Villa and then on to Liverpool two years later.
In 2013 he moved to the capital to join West Ham, and after spending two years out of the England squad, earned a recall in November 2014.
But after returning to his first club, Downing said everything has fallen into place exactly as he would have wished.
“This is a good time to be coming back to Boro, and hopefully I can enjoy another four to five years playing at the top,” he added.
“This is a Premier League club with a really good team and they were so unlucky to lose out on promotion last season.
“It’s an amazing signing for us. He’s more than just a player”
Aitor Karanka Middlesbrough manager
“Nothing went right for them in the Play-Off final against Norwich but over the course of the season I think they deserved to go up.”
The 30-year-old has earned 35 England caps and has made almost 500 career appearances at the highest level.
And Boro boss Aitor Karanka added his own words of welcome to the returning favourite.
"It’s an amazing signing for us. He’s more than just a player,” he said.
"Nobody expected him to come here, but he wants to be here, and is completely committed to the club and the team.
"He is a very good person and I’m excited to work with him."
