Done deal: Hammers sign Downes

West Ham have signed Flynn Downes from Swansea.

The club has announced the signing of the midfielder on a five-year contract that will hold the option of an extra year, making Downes the third signing of the summer after Nayef Aguerd and Alphonse Areola.

Downes has been a lifelong Hammers fan and is now set to wear claret and blue next season after making the move from the Championship club.

The 23-year-old is a former England U20 international and he racked up 37 league appearances for the Swans last season, scoring once and laying on two assists.

The move caps a meteoric rise for Downes, who was bought by Swansea from Ipswich Town. He has made a total of 139 appearances at first-team level since his debut.

Downes described the move as a “surreal” one, as he will now be playing for the club he has supported since he was a boy, and will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Jarrod Bowen by making the step up to Premier League level.

He said: “It’s a surreal feeling to have joined my boyhood Club. I feel like I’m dreaming.  It’s been my dream since I was a little boy to join this Club – it’s an absolute privilege. This is my Club, so I couldn’t be more delighted.

“I’m glad to be here and I can’t wait to get started. I want to be the best I can be and this feels like the perfect opportunity to test myself against the very best players in the Premier League. 

“Players have come to West Ham from the Championship and progressed to international honours. That’s something you can’t ignore. The manager’s track record of bringing players through was a big motivation in me joining the Club.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be a West Ham player.”