Flynn Downes to leave West Ham United in next 48 hours
West Ham midfielder Flynn Downes is set to leave the club on loan in the next 48 hours, with a move to Southampton set to be finalised, according to Mark McAdam.
The Sky Sports journalist shared via his Twitter account following the Saints’ stunning 4-4 draw with Norwich on 12 August that Southampton boss Russell Martin also confirmed their move for Downes to the media.
Downes has been linked with a move away from the London Stadium despite the exit of Declan Rice, with new signings set to overtake him, it seems.
Two in, one out
West Ham completed a deal to bring Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez to East London, which was confirmed by the club on 10 August, and are also set to sign Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse [Sky Sports, 11 August] to add further depth to their midfield.
While the deals were completely separate, Downes moving to Southampton while Ward-Prowse moves the other way seems to be a mutually beneficial agreement between the two clubs, with each of them set to benefit greatly from their new additions.
The move makes sense from a Southampton point of view, as they are bringing in a player who has proven quality at Championship level after his spell with Swansea City, and also from Downes’ perspective as he leaves the London Stadium in search of regular game time.
From a West Ham angle though, it seems strange to let a player leave from a position the club are already lacking depth. Despite new arrivals being expected, West Ham will need depth as they look to compete in the Europa League, and letting Downes go means they are losing some of that depth.
In other West Ham news, one Sky Sports pundit was stunned by what this Hammers star did v Bournemouth.