Stewart Downing: West Ham close in on deal to sign Liverpool winger West Ham United have agreed a fee with Liverpool over a deal to sign winger Stewart Downing. The 29-year-old England international is expected to undergo a medical and agree personal terms before completing any move to Upton Park. Downing was signed by Liverpool in a £20m deal from Aston Villa in July 2011 under former manager Kenny Dalglish. He was a first-team regular last season but has failed to make a major impact while at the Merseyside club. Downing scored five times in 45 appearances for the Reds in the 2012-13 campaign and, overall, registered seven goals in 91 outings for the club. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers criticised the former Middlesbrough player shortly after taking over at Anfield last summer, before restoring him to the first-team and using him primarily on the wing but also at left-back. Downing revealed last December that he had been told he could leave the club and, despite staying with the Reds for the remainder of last season, Rodgers now appears prepared to let him leave. If he does join West Ham, Downing will follow striker Andy Carroll in swapping Anfield for Upton Park. Carroll joined Liverpool for £35m in January 2011 but moved to West Ham in a permanent £15m deal earlier this summer following a season on loan with the Hammers.