EXCLUSIVE – Harry Redknapp says Stewart Downing deal ‘dragging on’ but is hopeful Birmingham will sign the Middlesbrough winger
Harry Redknapp has confirmed to talkSPORT he is keen to bring Stewart Downing to Birmingham City - but says there is still work to be done to get a deal over the line.
The former England winger has been told he can leave Middlesbrough this summer and Redknapp registered his interest in the 33-year-old a month ago.
Terms have still yet to be agreed, however, with the Blues boss telling the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast on Friday: "It's still dragging on a bit.
"We are interested but we just can't manage to come to an agreement at the moment with Middlesbrough. They have been fair, but we can't get it over the line.
"But I would like to bring him in. He has got quality and he would certainly help us an awful lot."
Redknapp has been frustrated in his attempts to add to his squad this summer, having missed out on a number of his top targets.
The 70-year-old thought he had Ogenyi Onazi in the bag this week, after a £4million deal was agreed with Trabzonspor, but the Nigerian midfielder has been denied a work permit.
On the lack of new signings, Redknapp said: "We have certainly tried. We have been unluckly. We had a work permit turned down the other day for a Nigerian boy.
"It has not been through a lack of effort or desire to sign players. We just haven't managed to get them over the line but we are still looking and we will see where we go."