However Boro, who rejected a £6m (€8.8m) bid from the Londoners last summer and have repeatedly told them to forget making another, are aware of reports suggesting a renewed approach is imminent.

However, with just nine days of the summer transfer window remaining, Southgate, who will send his side out against Barclays Premiership champions Chelsea tomorrow night looking for a first league win as manager, is ready to fight for one of his most influential players.

Southgate said: “I think Stewart knows how much I think of him and how much we as a club think of him. But it’s difficult for me to comment on something that is fabrication, as far as I am aware, because I have had no contact from anybody about any of our players. It’s speculation, as far as I am aware.”

It was Downing who gave Southgate a good start to his Premiership management career when he fired Boro into an early lead at Reading at the weekend.

The Teessiders eventually squandered a 2-0 advantage to lose 3-2 at the Madejski Stadium, but the manager saw enough evidence to assure him that the speculation is not troubling his talented midfielder.

Southgate said: “When I look at the goal he scored on Saturday and how influential he was in that spell when we were doing very well, then no.

“He is very focussed on what he wants to do. I am sure if he had any concerns, he would come to see me. He knows how much I think of him.

“The only slightly disappointing thing is that, as far as I am aware, it’s a story without any truth. I am almost loathe to give it credibility because I have not heard anything about it.”

Sadly for Boro, Southgate has also heard little on his bid to bring Manchester City defender Sylvain Distin to the Riverside Stadium, although despite a failure to agree personal terms with the Frenchman, he insists talks are ongoing.

He said: “The situation has not changed. We are still in agreement with Manchester City – the fee has not changed, so that side of it is no different - and we are still in discussions with the player.”

For now, the focus will be repeating last season’s remarkable victory over Jose Mourinho’s all-stars to kick-start Boro’s season 20 years to the day when they were forced to play a fixture at Hartlepool's Victoria Ground after the gates at Ayresome Park were locked by the official receiver.

Goals from Fabio Rochemback, Downing and Aiyegbeni Yakubu secured a famous win back in February, and Southgate is hoping for a repeat.

The Blues have since added £30m (€44.2m) striker Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Ballack, Salomon Kalou, Mikel John Obi and Khalid Boulahrouz to their ranks, although the Boro boss is adamant his players should not fear the task ahead of them.

He said: “We do not go into games fearing teams. We respect teams. You have to pit yourself against the best and we know we have to be at our best to beat Chelsea.

“But that’s the same every week in this league. There are probably 12 teams in the league that have to be at their absolute maximum to get victories.”

Southgate will be without new signing Julio Arca, who will be out for three weeks after breaking a bone in his foot at Reading, but will welcome midfielder Lee Cattermole back to the squad after an ankle problem.