Flynn Downes - Official: Signs 4 Year Contract

[Saint Scott]

Just now, Saint Matty 76 said:

Interesting as it's just come out that Ipswich pushed at the last second, so maybe he spoke to them but chose us in the end.

Definitely that then. I'm sure the exact quotes will be on twitter somewhere, but he said something along the lines of "It got dark for a few hours, but Flynn saw the light in the end"

[Turkish]

great news, good signing.

[Saint Scott]

13 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

Definitely that then. I'm sure the exact quotes will be on twitter somewhere, but he said something along the lines of "It got dark for a few hours, but Flynn saw the light in the end"

 

[SNSUN]

Good lad. If he's good for us maybe he can head back to West Ham one day but for now he's red and white. Hopefully if we do go back down he'd stick around too - he's a real key part of why we got back to the Prem at the first time of asking. Excellent loan signing and now and excellent permanent signing.

[Saint Keef]

Nothing constructive to add really, other than that's a really good bit of news.

[Chez]

Excellent. Any further signings (assuming they are decent) now will feel like improvements to last season's side.

[SaintsFan86]

Just now, Chez said:

Excellent. Any further signings (assuming they are decent) now will feel like improvements to last season's side.

Still need to replace Stuart Armstrong and Che Adams.

[Greedyfly]

Love this move, good player and vital to the way we play.  Happy with that.

 

Goals next, please.

[Disco Stu]

I think it speaks volumes that he left his boyhood club for us. It must be a great environment to work in and he must believe in the project.

[saint lard]

36 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

Found it interesting during Russell's interview when he said he and Matt Gill didn't think it would happen, but then Flynn saw the "light"

I guess if you are a boyhood West Ham fan and get the chance to play for them it's hard to distance yourself from.

Top news anyway, our most important signing, so far

Ipswich came in for him last minute.He weighed it up. Chose us. 

[Toadhall Saint]

43 minutes ago, Saint Matty 76 said:

Interesting as it's just come out that Ipswich pushed at the last second, so maybe he spoke to them but chose us in the end.

Where did this come from?

[Turkish]

Ipswich Town: Flynn Downes joins Southampton after Blues interest | East Anglian Daily Times (eadt.co.uk)

 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

Really pleased this is confirmed. Thought they were negotiating a two way deal with KWP but evidently not. 

[Toadhall Saint]

4 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Ipswich Town: Flynn Downes joins Southampton after Blues interest | East Anglian Daily Times (eadt.co.uk)

 

Cheers

[goodymatt]

Interesting that Ipswich gave him something to think about but he made the right call in the end, thankfully! Such an important signing, key to the way we play and my favourite player last season by far. Hope we can kick on together now as relegation would surely mean we could lose him.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

56 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

I think it speaks volumes that he left his boyhood club for us. It must be a great environment to work in and he must believe in the project.

His boyhood club told him he wasn't wanted more like

[Suhari]

Just now, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

His boyhood club told him he wasn't wanted more like

They chased to sign him at the last minute. Which presumably means they did want him.

[ErwinK1961]

9 minutes ago, Suhari said:

They chased to sign him at the last minute. Which presumably means they did want him.

Talking about West Ham.

[VectisSaint]

46 minutes ago, ErwinK1961 said:

Talking about West Ham.

Ipswich was his boyhood club, was with them from the age of 7. West Ham was the team he supported. 

[SaintBobby]

Vital but if business. Well chuffed.

[ant]

It was ex-skate manager Paul Cook that binned off Downes at Ipswich - leading to Flynn joining Swansea.

So cheers for that, Paul. 🫡

[Saint Fan CaM]

Great news to know Downes is across the line. I’m not of the opinion he’s necessarily the best midfielder out there, but he’s the best we could expect in terms of a player that knows the system, works well in the system and clearly likes being in the club. I hope he settles in for the long run because he continues to play an important role in our continued success.

[Saint_clark]

Hope he's able to step up as we're predicting he will. I do worry that all he's ever proven himself as is a very good championship midfielder and we've gone and spent a lot of our budget on him. 

[AlexLaw76]

Good stuff. He was excellent last season and vital to us. To get it done so early is great to see.

a keeper and a scoring forward are essential 

[rallyboy]

7 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

Hope he's able to step up as we're predicting he will. I do worry that all he's ever proven himself as is a very good championship midfielder and we've gone and spent a lot of our budget on him. 

Let's remember that this season our realistic priority is to have a midfield that is better than three other midfields in the division - if we get outplayed by Man City and Arsenal, so be it. Downes just needs to take one step up this season, he looks like he has that in him. Great signing.

[hypochondriac]

24 minutes ago, rallyboy said:

Let's remember that this season our realistic priority is to have a midfield that is better than three other midfields in the division - if we get outplayed by Man City and Arsenal, so be it. Downes just needs to take one step up this season, he looks like he has that in him. Great signing.

Exactly. With Leicester point deduction looming it may even be two. Burnley failing to sign some of their best championship players really harmed them last year. For good or ill we have done the opposite with THB and Downes. Will be an interesting comparison between the two clubs this time next year. 

[hypochondriac]

Double post.

Edited July 17 by hypochondriac

[Sheaf Saint]

34 minutes ago, rallyboy said:

Let's remember that this season our realistic priority is to have a midfield that is better than three other midfields in the division - if we get outplayed by Man City and Arsenal, so be it. Downes just needs to take one step up this season, he looks like he has that in him. Great signing.

Agreed. He reminds me very much of Jack Cork, who was a real asset for us on our return to the PL last time. I'm confident he can make the step up.

[S-Clarke]

11 hours ago, goodymatt said:

Interesting that Ipswich gave him something to think about but he made the right call in the end, thankfully! Such an important signing, key to the way we play and my favourite player last season by far. Hope we can kick on together now as relegation would surely mean we could lose him.

I know people say fan opinions don't really matter to players, but as it was so tight/close between us, you do have to wonder if the reception he got there last season helped sway it our way. He even commented after that game at how annoyed he was by the booing.

[goodymatt]

20 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I know people say fan opinions don't really matter to players, but as it was so tight/close between us, you do have to wonder if the reception he got there last season helped sway it our way. He even commented after that game at how annoyed he was by the booing.

They didn’t show him the love we did, that’s for sure. That plus the Martin relationship will have swung things in our favour. He was at Ipswich from 7-21 years old, so must have strong feelings for them still even if it did end on a sour note.

Facts are that he’s played his best footy under Martin at Swansea and Saints and last season will have been a really positive experience for him. If the rumours are true and Ipswich offered more wages, then big respect to Flynn for putting football first, like many don’t.

[BERMUDASAINT]

15 mill for Downes, great deal, 3 mill add on if he reaches certain milestones. ( keeping us in the prem should be one?)

the newly promoted side has not paid the entire £18million fee upfront as originally expected, but will pay the difference when add-ons are activated.

[Osvaldorama]

11 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

Hope he's able to step up as we're predicting he will. I do worry that all he's ever proven himself as is a very good championship midfielder and we've gone and spent a lot of our budget on him. 

He will. 
 

Best CM since Schneiderlin for me 

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

Has he had food poisoning yet since he signed?

[mikee]

He would make a great captain

[trousers]

3 minutes ago, mikee said:

He would make a great captain

Agree... I would resurrect the concept of 'club captain' and 'match captain'... making Stephens the former and Downes the latter. 

[CSA96]

 

[CSA96]

11 minutes of Martin and Downes here, talking about his move, last season, next season, the new kits - and doing some quickfire questions:

 

Edited July 17 by CSA96

[Saint Garrett]

You can tell how close they are and how much the players love Russell.

Nice watch.

[sfc4prem]

I am always very impressed when players chose a club that is offering less wages. I really find it quite extraordinary. 

I certainly wouldn't 😂

[gammon cheeks]

Come all without

come all within

youve not seen nothing

like the mighty Flynn

[AlexLaw76]

4 hours ago, CSA96 said:

11 minutes of Martin and Downes here, talking about his move, last season, next season, the new kits - and doing some quickfire questions:

 

That is a proper bromance....

Got to say, you can see Rusty is buzzing at the moment and is going to throw everything at it....

[Convict Colony]

From a website that cant be arsed to give us a reporter

Southampton have signed midfielder Flynn Downes from West Ham United in a deal worth up to £18million ($23.4m).

Downes has signed a four-year deal having spent last season on loan at Southampton.

Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate this summer’s senior Premier League transfers in five categories, with each aspect given a score out of 100 to reach a total score out of 500. Hence, The Athletic 500. The ratings are explained in more detail here (not all transfers will be rated as there may be a lack of data to support an analysis).

Below is our rating for this move.

At the heart of Russell Martin’s setup is a focus on possession-based football and patient build-up play. Downes is a high-volume passer with excellent short-to-medium-range distribution. His 93 per cent pass completion rate, along with his intricate, combination passes, should allow him to do well at Southampton.

Downes’ ability to progress the ball through the middle third will be key in helping Southampton break down compact defences. He is more than capable of keeping and recycling possession, as well as dictating the tempo of the game.

The image below shows turnover rates of Championship midfielders in the 2023-24 season. The low turnover rate suggests Downes is a tidy, reliable midfielder who keeps the ball moving for his team.

While Downes may not have the physical dominance to win many aerial duels, his strong defensive positioning and work rate should help shore up Southampton’s midfield. His 7.3 defensive duels per 90 minutes show that he can break up opposition attacks and provide cover for the back four.

As shown in a January league match against Sheffield Wednesday, Cameron Dawson plays a pass into space that Anthony Musaba runs on to. Downes recognises this, times his run well, and makes a perfect tackle.

One of the key advantages Downes brings to Southampton is his prior experience working under Martin at Swansea City and Southampton last season. This familiarity with the manager’s tactical philosophy and demands should make integration into the squad much easier.

Downes has experience in multiple midfield roles, including as a defensive anchor or a more advanced playmaker, providing Martin with tactical flexibility and the option to tweak his system based on the opposition.

While Downes seems well-suited for Southampton, there are a few areas he may need to work on. During his time at West Ham, despite being a Premier League player, he struggled to consistently earn playing time, which may have contributed to his eventual move to Southampton.

In possession, Downes tends to play conservatively, without many switches of play or penetrative through balls. His progressive passing metrics are also relatively low, averaging only 4.3 progressive passes per 90 minutes, which places him in the 32nd percentile among his positional peers.

The lack of regular minutes at West Ham could have impacted Downes’ development and confidence, but his permanent switch to Southampton provides a fresh opportunity to establish himself as a consistent starter and continue progressing his game at the top level.

Season rating: 78/100
Rating the player over the course of last season, using statistics from The Athletic’s data team.

Flynn Downes had such an influential season at Southampton that head coach Russell Martin, who worked with Downes in his previous head coach role at Swansea, said he would “cry himself to sleep” if the club did not sign him permanently.

That is because he was integral to the club’s promotion. He made 36 appearances, starting 31 games, including 22 of the 25 matches Southampton spent unbeaten between September and February — a club record. That run only came to an end when Downes was sidelined with a hip injury, which saw him miss four league games. Southampton lost three of those matches. 

Downes played 90 minutes in all three of the club’s Championship play-off fixtures, too, helping Saints to a Premier League return at the first time of asking. 

Gaming rating: 68/100
Rating the player according to Football Manager 2024’s data across both current and potential ability.

Downes has the potential to establish himself as a Premier League player, according to the data that powers Football Manager. His current ability rating, which is based on FM’s extensive scouting network, is 130, which is on the lower side of Premier League talent but still a decent squad member. Similar midfielders at this rating include Andre Gomes at Everton and Will Hughes at Crystal Palace, as well as Ryan Yates at Nottingham Forest, who is a similar age (25).

His potential ability rating is 142, which is not a signifier of much room to grow or high-end potential, but it would lift him into a regular Premier League starter category. Other players with a current ability rating of 142 include Mathias Jensen at Brentford and Tyler Adams at Bournemouth. Tomas Soucek at West Ham, for context, is on 140.

Financial value rating: 56/100
A four-category summary of the player’s transfer in financial terms — and whether it makes sense for his new club

Market value — 14/25

The £18million fee is broadly in line with the £12million sum that took Downes from Swansea to West Ham two years ago, a point when no Premier League experience had been gained. Not a huge outlay for a 25-year-old with solid experience, but there will be question marks over his top-flight pedigree. 

Squad cost — 18/25

Southampton are not expected to be among the Premier League’s heaviest spenders but, as with Taylor Harwood-Bellis, turning a loan star of last season permanent was important. Continuity is king for Russell Martin. 

Contract sensibility — 14/25

A four-year deal takes Downes to 2028 with Southampton and it is expected that wages will not prove to be a burden in the Premier League. A contract long enough to give everyone security without ever posing problems down the line. 

Resale value — 10/25

Downes will be close to 30 by the time his new Southampton deal expires and it is hard to imagine his value will have held to that point. Form of the last three seasons, though, would ensure there will be no shortage of suitors if he was to leave ahead of that point.
 

Risk or reward? 78/100

Is there a history of injury or other problems that could crop up and make this deal a bad one in retrospect? Or does the player come with a clean bill of health? Our expert takes a look.

The main risks with any transfer centre on the unknown variables, particularly about how a player will adapt to a new environment, but that does not apply in this case. Downes is familiar with the club, the area, his new team-mates and his coach. He already has a concrete place in the team and has worked with Martin previously at Swansea. All parties know each other inside out by this point, so there should not be any surprises. 

His injury record is pretty good, too, with the only notable knock being a knee injury at Ipswich in 2020-21, which kept him out for a couple of months. The only question mark is that Downes is still unproven at Premier League level. He was part of the West Ham side that won the Conference League and he made 21 appearances for the club in the top flight, but only seven were starts. That leaves room for uncertainty, particularly when it comes to value for money. His price tag is not huge, but it’s not small either.

He is 25, with his prime years ahead of him, and overall, there is limited risk. It is a smart — and as Martin will likely attest — essential signing for Southampton.

Overall rating: 340/500

Edited July 17 by Convict Colony

[M271]

I noticed during the Stomping Ground interview a few times when being asked about who was the changing room music DJ, RM answered it WAS Che but he’s gone !! I know he is out of contract and not the club employee anymore but sounded like he has gone gone.

Edited July 17 by M271

[ChrisPY]

2 hours ago, M271 said:

I noticed during the Stomping Ground interview a few times when being asked about who was the changing room music DJ, RM answered it WAS Che but he’s gone !! I know he is out of contract and not the club employee anymore but sounded like he has gone gone.

It was almost mentioned too much as a bit of an inside joke. Not really gone?

[Kristian Loekkegaard]

On 16/07/2024 at 21:55, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Really pleased this is confirmed. Thought they were negotiating a two way deal with KWP but evidently not. 

Me too. I was sure KWP would bw part of it. I'm over the moon about this, And if KWP stays  Iwill be even more over the moon. Next season is so important, so if we keep KWP and he moves on a free next summer after we have kept our PL status, I'm cool with that. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

A KWP who turns out to be a key part of us staying up is worth quite a bit.

On the other hand,

The cub may be confident we'll stay up having recruited Sugawara.

Hopefully, they've not indicated to Sugawara about minutes, although this is solved by putting one on the left.

SR, like most other clubs, don't want to see their assets leave on frees. I'm sure they've said as much.

They may be looking at the PRS books, looking to use those KWP pennies to strengthen elsewhere. Wages would be part of that.

Personally, I'd love him to stay. You never know, he might, like McCarthy extend/ resign if we do well.

[Kristian Loekkegaard]

On 17/07/2024 at 13:26, Osvaldorama said:

He will. 
 

Best CM since Schneiderlin for me 

I agree. Funnily enough Schmeiderlin wasn't always picked in the 11/12 season in the championship, but in the PL he was one of the first players picked in the team.