Get the latest Boro stories straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter Enter your email Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Stewart Downing is travelling to Teesside today to complete his £5m switch to Boro, the Gazette understands.

Once formalities have been completed, the 30-year-old winger will fly out to Spain to link up with Aitor Karanka and the first team squad on Thursday.

Fitness permitting, he could make his first Boro appearance in six years in Saturday's friendly in Marbella.

Downing, who celebrates his 31st birthday next week, has been training on his own at West Ham after insisting that he wanted to join Boro.

It's believed that the Middlesbrough-born former England international will put pen to paper on a five-year contract, which will mean he'll almost certainly finish his career where he started it.

The signing is a massive coup for Steve Gibson and Boro and Downing is expected to operate in the pivotal No10 position next season.

Read more on the Downing deal:

Stewart Downing: Boro finalise £7m Riverside return

Who, what, where, why and how - the lowdown on the deal

Anthony Vickers on a homecoming to galvanise the Riverside

While you've been away: 19 things that have changed at Boro since Stewart Downing left

Downing could be a game changer: Watch Anthony Vickers give his view

Stewart Downing travelling to Teesside to complete £5m Boro switch

I'll be back: What Downing told Gazette on day he left