Southampton agree Flynn Downes deal with West Ham

Southampton have agreed a deal worth up to £18million with West Ham United for midfielder Flynn Downes.

The Athletic reported Southampton were in discussions with West Ham over a deal for Downes.

Full-back Kyle Walker-Peters had been in line to move in the opposite direction, but the deal for Downes is a straight fee and Walker-Peters is not involved. The Southampton defender remains a player under consideration for West Ham this summer.

Downes spent last season on loan at Southampton and made 36 Championship appearances as the club secured promotion back to the Premier League via the play-offs.

The midfielder is highly regarded by Southampton manager Russell Martin, who is keen to make him part of his plans for the 2024-25 campaign. The pair previously worked together at Swansea City.

“Hopefully, before the end of the summer, he (Downes) will be in a Southampton shirt,“ Martin said this month. ”If he’s not, I will cry myself to sleep. It will take more time. We just have to be patient. I wanted him here last week, four weeks ago even.

“I hope, that at some point, we will show enough love and give West Ham enough money (for him).”

Downes joined West Ham, the club he grew up supporting, from Swansea for an initial £9million and rising to £14million if certain clauses were met in the summer of 2022. His West Ham contract runs until 2027.

Downes made 35 appearances in all competitions during his debut season and was part of the side that won the Europa Conference League.

Martin signed Downes for Swansea from Ipswich in the summer of 2021 and the 25-year-old linked up with his former manager again at Southampton last season. He was an important figure in the club’s promotion-winning campaign and played the full 90 minutes in the play-off final victory over Leeds United.

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