Southampton are currently the ‘frontrunners’ to wrap up a deal for their number one transfer priority this summer.
Russell Martin has already welcomed the permanent addition of Taylor Harwood-Bellis as well as the arrival of a player with bundles of Premier League experience in Adam Lallana on a free.
Further top flight reinforcements look set to follow shortly in the shape of last season’s loanee Ryan Fraser and Brentford midfielder Saman Ghoddos; the latter also due to become a free agent at the end of June.
Southampton‘s transfer priority this summer is no secret, though, with a permanent move for Flynn Downes the top target and latest news suggests they could be edging closer to securing a deal.
Southampton edging towards Flynn Downes deal
Downes arrived at St Mary’s on loan last summer with Martin desperate to get the player he managed at Swansea City into the club.
Having had to sell Downes to West Ham United for £12 million as Swansea manager, Martin was keen for a reunion with a player he knew was crucial to his possession-based style.
Martin got his wish, but after a season in which he showed Southampton fans just how good he is, everyone at the club knows how pivotal a return will be.
There is good news on that front, with Give Me Sport reporting that Southampton are the ‘frontrunners’ for his signature wit hWest Ham likely to have to offload players before they can add new ones.
There were concerns from a Southampton perspective that the arrival of Julen Lopetegui could scupper their hopes of signing the previously out of favour Downes, but it looks as though the Spaniard is willing to sanction a sale for the 25-year-old.
The report suggests Southampton are keen to tie up Downes’ future prior to the start of pre-season and are hopeful a deal can be done for less than £15 million.
The reason Downes is Southampton’s transfer priority
Downes arrived at Southampton with food poisoning in summer 2023 and looked way off the pace in his first few games, leading fans to question Martin’s eagerness to sign the midfielder.
However, the former Ipswich Town man soon showed his qualities and the St Mary’s faithful quickly grew to love his all action displays in which he set the tempo of the game in possession and ran non-stop out of it.
Martin waxed lyrical about Downes following a win over Birmingham City last season in which he was particularly brilliant, as he said: “Flynn has been monstrous. Physically he is a beast and he has so much composure on the ball.
“His teammates really appreciate the role that he has because it’s so tough being that guy.
“It’s not a position that we develop well in England. We haven’t really produced a world-class one. In other countries, they have players like Rodri because that role is vital when you are playing positional play.
“He is huge for us. He has really stepped up and been brilliant. He gives the team an edge and keeps the ball ticking over. He has aggression driving the ball forward. The next step for him is to impact games that way.”
Nothing highlights how important Downes was in Southampton’s promotion campaign better than the fact that the club only won two of the ten league games in which he was absent after signing; with no one able to adequately perform the same role as the holding midfielder.
According to Footy Stats, Downes maintained a pass completion rate of 93.38% in the Championship last season whilst averaging a massive 74.46 passes per game – demonstrating how effective he is at being Southampton’s midfield metronome.
Despite his deep starting position, Downes also managed to score two goals and provide three assists in the league and showed more and more frequently as the season went on how effective he can be when driving forward with the ball.
Defensively he is a real asset too, as he provides a protective screen in front of the backline.
Last season, Downes was in the top 10% of midfielders for interceptions made with 46 (1.51 per 90) and the top 19% for tackles (2.27 per 90), showing how much useful he is both with and without the ball.
When he was absent, Shea Charles and Will Smallbone both had chances to fill in at the base of the midfield but there was a significant drop off both in terms of build-up and protection regardless of who replaced Downes.
With that in mind, it is no surprise Downes is the number one priority this summer and if Southampton could sign him for less than £15 million it is likely fans would consider that a steal.