West Ham United ready to consider offers for Flynn Downes in summer, as London Stadium ‘concerns’ emerges
West Ham United could be willing to listen to offers for loanee Flynn Downes in the summer, according to Sean Whetstone.
The reliable 6foot2 editor taking to his personal Twitter account (10 November) shared that there are concerns at the London Stadium regarding his ability to make it as a first-team regular and the Hammers could be ready to listen to offers in the summer as a result.
The 24-year-old has started 10 Championship games for the Saints since joining on a season’s loan from West Ham in the summer but the former Swansea midfielder now faces an “uphill struggle” to force his way into the first team at the club when he returns.
Whetstone tweeted on the West Ham Football account (10 November):
“Flynn Downes faces an up hill struggle to force his way back to West Ham’s first team after his loan completes.
“The Hammer made seven first-team starts for West Ham in the Premier League under Moyes but has started ten times in the Championship for Southampton.
“There are concerns by some about whether he has what it takes to be a regular Premier League starter so West Ham could listen to offers in the summer if their valuation is met.”
Fate surely sealed
As Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse arrived to replace Declan Rice over the summer transfer window, Downes certainly knew the only option was to leave on loan to get first-team opportunities.
The 24-year-old Hammers fan made 21 appearances during the 2022/23 season after his £12m move from Swansea City, however, only a handful of them were from the outset.
He certainly would have expected more game-time after making such a big-money move to the London Stadium last summer and it is certainly looking like a failed move for both parties at present.
Given the qualities shown by Alvarez and Ward-Prowse since their summer arrivals, it certainly seems like the Hammers will be looking to take their midfield quality up a notch next summer which could prove damaging for Downes in the long haul.
It surely seems as if his fate has already been sealed at the London Stadium. Whether there’s any chance of him rectifying his situation when he returns from St Mary’s over the summer remains very unlikely now.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers will be impacted if a potential Premier League rule change is implemented, with a vote impending, as per Sky Sports.