Flynn Downes has enjoyed a superb season on loan with Southampton, but now the campaign is finished, could he return to West Ham and play a key role under Julen Lopetegui?
It doesn’t seem like he will right now, certainly if the latest report is anything to go by.
West Ham sent Flynn Downes on loan to Southampton at the start of the 2023/24 season, after he struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at the London Stadium.
David Moyes actually tried to force the 25-year-old out of the London Stadium on a permanent deal last summer, but the Hammers accepted a loan offer from the Saints in the end.
Downes went on to play a key role for Russell Martin’s Southampton and their promotion back to the Premier League.
In 36 Championship appearances for the south coast club, the midfielder bagged two goals and three assists and averaged 1.9 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game. He made 64.5 passes per game and averaged a hugely impressive completion rate of 93.1% (Who Scored).
Saints boss Martin described the Hammers midfielder as ‘outstanding’, and he’s bang on there – Downes was a standout performer.
However, could it be argued that the Championship is his level? The Premier League might just be too much of a jump up in quality and intensity for him.
Behind the scenes at West Ham, there are said to be concerns that he isn’t good enough to make it at the very highest level of the game.
And now three reasons have been shared as to why Downes thinks his future may lie away from the London Stadium…
Flynn Downes doesn’t think he has a West Ham future
The Brentwood-born midfielder is boyhood Hammers fan, so he will surely still be harbouring ambitions of making a name for himself at London Stadium in the Premier League.
That may well be out of his reach though.
The Times claims that Downes doesn’t think he has a future with West Ham – for three reasons.
Those three things are…Edson Alvarez, Tomas Soucek and James Ward-Prowse.
I have to say, I disagree with him here. I believe Flynn Downes is more than good enough to play 20 games or so for West Ham next season, and to provide cover for Alvarez.
I would actually prefer Lopetegui to sell Soucek before Downes. The Czech Republic international doesn’t have the skillset needed to play in the kind of system that the Spaniard usually deploys.
Downes has shown that one of his main strengths is his composure in possession, and I think he couldn’t be more wrong in thinking that his future lies away from the London Stadium.
That said, if Southampton make a lucrative offer for him, the Hammers owners will undoubtedly be tempted to cash in on the midfielder.
I’m fascinated to see what the future has in store for Flynn Downes.
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