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England winger Stewart Downing claims he's been told he can leave Liverpool.

Downing, a £20million buy from Aston Villa under the Reds' previous regime, has struggled to find a place in the first team under first-year manager Brendan Rodgers and has even found himself filling in at left-back on occasions.

Although he has been more involved recently, starting five of the last six matches in all competitions, the 28-year-old is not eager to continue in a bit-part role.

"The manager has said I can leave if I want to," the 28-year-old said in a frank interview with Liverpool's matchday programme ahead of today's game against Villa.

"But then all of a sudden I've come back into the team, it's a strange situation.

"I've played for a long time and there are spells when you can be in and out of the side.

"At the minute I'm trying to play as many games as possible.

"If that doesn't happen I'm at an age where I can't be sat around. I need to play and the manager understands that.

"That's how the situation is and we'll have to see what happens in January or the summer."