Flynn Downes set for Monday Southampton announcement after West Ham United secure James Ward-Prowse – Sky Sports
Flynn Downes’ loan exit from West Ham to Southampton is expected to be “formally announced” on Monday afternoon, according to Sky Sports.
The outlet reported via an update on their website the same morning (14 August) that the midfielder “has been having a medical” at the south coast club and will join the Saints on a “straight loan”.
Downes, 24, heads to the Championship club with James Ward-Prowse having come the other way in a £30million permanent move.
The England international’s arrival as the second signing at the London Stadium this summer was confirmed earlier on Monday morning.
Downes will join Declan Rice, Gianluca Scamacca, Manuel Lanzini and Nikola Vlasic as Irons exits this summer, with Lucas Paqueta still in line to leave for Manchester City.
Rebound
Downes needs regular football in his preferred midfield position after his move to West Ham proved to be a false dawn.
Nominally signed to replace club legend Mark Noble in the squad last summer he appeared set to deputise for star man Rice with a view to potentially taking over from the England international this summer.
The former captain has now moved to Arsenal in a £105m move but after a stop-start season under David Moyes it hasn’t proven the big opportunity for Downes.
While the former Swansea City man did make a total of 35 appearances for the Irons across all competitions in his debut season in east London a lot were off the bench, and when he did play it was frequently not at the base of the midfield.
With West Ham belatedly signing Edson Alvarez and Ward-Prowse to replace Rice it appears that the manager is not especially sold on Hammers local Downes.
If he can play frequently in the Championship and find some good form then it could the reset he needs, although it will only put him back in the position he was 12 months ago.
So while Moyes is in charge at West Ham it may be that Downes’ long-term future with the club remains in some doubt.
In other West Ham news, there is “confidence” at the club that a third new arrival can now be wrapped up.