Downes looks unlikely return

Downes unlikely to return

Flynn Downes looks unlikely return to West Ham next season despite Claret and Hugh believing the club’s need for homegrown players made it look certain. We wrote a couple of days back that with the club is in need of beefing  the squad up with homegrown players and that therefore Downes was all but certain to be back at the London Stadium. 

The problem with the former Swansea player West Ham bought for £12 million though is that he simply doesn’t score goals with his stats showing none in 11 appearances for Southamptom since he joined the Championship club on loan and none in 35 with West Ham last season. In 46 games he has also managed to collect eight yellow cards along the way. His last goal – and the only one in 34 appearances during the season –  came in 2021 for Swansea.

And discussing the scenario with a very senior figure at the club Claret and Hugh was told: “Downes never gets a goal, that worries me in a midfielder.I hope some of our younger ones come through in order for us to get the homegrown players into the squad as we need to next season.”

You have to expect midfielders to get their share of goals and frankly Downes’  record in that area is absolutely dreadful so it may be that he  will be available to raise some funds for the club next summer should Southampton want to keep him.

And it has to be said on reflection that £12 million was a lot of money to pay for the guy in such circumstances.

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