Injury won't halt Villa bid for Downing

Aston Villa were holding talks with England winger Stewart Downing last night after agreeing a £12million fee with Middlesbrough.

The 24-year-old arrived at Villa's training ground on crutches as he took a break from his rehabilitation from foot surgery to discuss personal terms with manager Martin O'Neill.

His pending arrival will spark fresh speculation Ashley Young could be leaving. Downing's injury, suffered in a clash with Villa's Stiliyan Petrov in the penultimate game of last season, means he is unlikely to play again until October and may be out for some time longer.ut O'Neill has made his move in the hope of avoiding a bidding war in January when other clubs might have been prepared to do business once he had proved his fitness.

Sunderland step up Crouch pursuit

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is keen to begin talks with Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch over a possible move to the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats have been in discussions with Pompey for several weeks about the £12million-rated frontman but have yet to agree a fee. Sunderland are in a hurry amid speculation Fulham, who accepted a £5m bid from Hull for Bobby Zamora yesterday, are ready to swoop for the England striker.

Bruce said: 'He is a player I have admired for a very long time, and I suppose a lot of other managers do exactly the same thing.

'We hope we can try to put something together because he would be the type of player, of course, that would signal our intention of the way we want to take the football club forward.'

Asked if a fee had been agreed, Bruce replied: 'I know discussions at high levels were going on late last night, so we will see, and I will be able to tell you more in the next 24 hours.'

Fulham are tipped to turn to Crouch after agreeing to offload Zamora just 12 months after signing the 28-year-old from West Ham. Any deal could take some time, with Zamora currently on the club's pre-season tour of Australia.

Chelsea warn City off priceless Terry

Chelsea have warned Manchester City no amount of money will be enough to prise away John Terry.

City manager Mark Hughes has gone public with his desire to tempt Terry to become the Eastlands club's latest big-name signing. However, at an event to announce a new three-year deal with kit sponsors Samsung, chief executive Peter Kenyon was adamant Chelsea have no plans to sell the England skipper.

'He is not for sale at any price,' Kenyon told Sky News. 'John's going to remain with us. He is our talisman, the heart of Chelsea. It is irrelevant what another club will offer.'

Hughes, who looks set to complete the £25million signing of Emmanuel Adebayor today after the Arsenal striker was granted a work permit, had been encouraged by the failure of Terry to publicly dismiss the idea of leaving Stamford Bridge. But there was encouragement for Chelsea fans on that front when the defender stood alongside new coach Carlo Ancelotti to mark the contract with Samsung.

Terry's appearance to publicise the deal - believed to be worth more than the £11m-a-year agreement in place for the past five years - could suggest he remains committed to the club.

Kenyon also dismissed as 'mad speculation' reports he himself feels marginalised and may leave Chelsea, with City a possible destination.

Meanwhile, Uefa has reduced the European bans given to Blues striker Didier Drogba and defender Jose Bosingwa for their conduct following Chelsea's Champions League semi-final defeat by Barcelona in May.

European football's governing body has reduced both players' suspension by one game on appeal.