Michael ReevesIt has been just over twelve months since Flynn Downes left Swansea for West Ham but it seems as if the Hammers are prepared to let him leave on loan this season with him seemingly being offered to Southampton on loan as part of a deal for James Ward-Prowse.
However, reports this morning suggest that Southampton are not thinking of that as a possibility with the press stating that they would prefer to take the £40m valuation that they have placed on the head of Ward-Prowse in full.
The Hammers seem to have identified the Southampton player as the man they want to replace Declan Rice who has moves across London in a nine-figure deal to join Arsenal. It is clear to see why given the form of Ward-Prowse over recent seasons and with a wad of cash in their bank following the sale of Rice it seems certain that surely West Ham will get this deal over the line ahead of the new season.
And, as ever, it could be a transfer that could spark a series of moves which could have a knock on effect here at Swansea City. Firstly, you have the links that suggest Southampton have an interest in Matt Grimes. Would Martin see Grimes as a natural replacement for Ward-Prowse? There is nothing to suggest that he wouldn’t given how he elected to build his Swansea side around him so that could be a natural knock on. Then you have the interest they have in Piroe. With their own stack of cash in the transfer kitty they could easily match the Swans valuation of the striker and take Piroe to St Mary’s to spearhead their promotion challenge.
Both of those scenarios are of course hypothetical but feasible given the move of Martin to Southampton and his admiration for both players from his two years in SA1. Certain to happen? Not at all but we watch with interest.
The question then comes as to what do we do if this happens? We know if we lose Grimes then we will need a replacement and does that bring us back to the fact that West Ham are potentially prepared to let Downes go out on loan? Possibly? Hopefully? We know what Downes is capable of as we watched it for twelve months before he moved to the Hammers. So would we consider an approach to take him back on loan for a season in the event of the departure of Grimes? Put it this way we certainly should not dismiss it.
It is impossible to see us making a move though without a significant departure from our midfield. As was referenced yesterday when we were linked with Charlie Savage, there is no real need to bolster our central midfield without someone leaving. That would just surely add to the wage bill for the sake of it. That though could all change should the Saints come for Grimes which would leave a hole that Michael Duff would surely need to fill.
The other question that would have to be asked is what is the views of Michael Duff. We know that Downes was Russell Martin’s man (although interesting that he doesn’t seem to want him at Saints) and does Duff have the same view? Knowing what Downes is capable of at this level would certainly surely make him someone of interest even if no move was ever to materialise.
There is a lot of ifs, buts and maybes in the above text and this is nowhere near a suggestion that this is going to happen or indeed a suggestion that there has been discussion in the corridors of power about it. Maybe it is just the idealist in me that hopes it could happen should the need arise?
Never a dull transfer window!
