Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has dropped an update on Southampton’s pursuit of Flynn Downes.
Southampton confirmed their return to the Premier League with a victory over Leeds United in the Championship Play-Off final at Wembley.
The Saints are now looking to assemble a squad that can compete in the top flight, with Russell Martin desperate to avoid relegation in his first campaign managing at England’s top table.
Understandably, the promotion has seen Southampton get linked with several players, including Celtic’s Matt O’Riley, Sunderland wonderkid Jobe Bellingham and Werder Bremen attacking midfielder Leonardo Bitterncourt.
Sport Republic will need to flex their financial muscles in the window for the South Coasters to survive in the Premier League, with Flynn Downes high up on Martin’s transfer wishlist.
What’s the latest on Flynn Downes to Southampton?
Downes played a pivotal role in the heart of the Saints midfield last term, playing 33 times in the Championship after arriving on loan from West Ham.
Having worked with the Englishman during his time at Swansea City, Martin became a huge fan of Downes, labelling his performances as “monstrous”.
The 25-year-old ranked in the top 1% of Championship midfielders for pass completion and the top 8% for interceptions per game, evincing his qualities as an exceptional ball-winning but progressive midfield talent.
Supporters will be desperate to see Downes pull on the red and white jersey next campaign and Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has dropped an update on their pursuit.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “One of two things could potentially happen. He could reintegrate himself into the West Ham team, and they could say ‘right, we’ve seen enough, we want you to play’. Or, they could think, ‘well hold on.
“When he went on loan his price was probably at this level. Now that he’s performed this well, if Southampton want him maybe we might just add a little zero to that price tag’, just to see how much Southampton want him.
“So West Ham United in a good position. Flynn Downes is in a good position and Southampton will probably want to see what they can do on that front, because he was really key in everything good that Southampton did in that promotion push last season, so that will definitely be one to watch.”
Understandably, this transfer saga could rumble long into the summer as new West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui will want to take a thorough look at Downes before deciding whether to offload him or not.
Flynn Downes can make the Premier League step up
Martin has lauded the impact of Downes by dubbing him the “best in the league” and comparing him to Manchester City’s Rodri in terms of his importance to the side.
Speaking after losing 2-1 to Cardiff City in April, a game that Downes missed through injury, the Saints boss said: “Listen, when Man City lose one player who plays in that pivot position, the number six (Rodri), the dynamic of that team changes completely, in the same way it does with us and Flynn.”
Southampton have only won two of their 10 games in which Downes hasn’t featured since his arrival, underlining how irreplaceable he is at the base of midfield.
He protects the defence with his exceptional positioning and defensive nouse while driving forward with the ball. He’s a combative but creative midfield talent and he must sign permanently this summer.
To compare him to Rodri, arguably the best defensive midfielder on the planet, just shows how highly he’s rated by Martin.
Downes is an essential piece to the transfer puzzle and getting him through the door could set the tone for a successful summer.