According to The Athletic, West Ham have joined Crystal Palace and Leeds in the race to sign Flynn Downes from Swansea.
What’s the story?
Well, it seems David Moyes is now keen to spoil the party for Patrick Vieira and Jesse Marsch – more for the Frenchman.
It was said that Crystal Palace were leading the race to sign Downes, who they have been targeting since his days at Ipswich – he even handed in a transfer request to force a move to Selhurst Park at the time.
However, The Athletic believe West Ham are now willing to match the £9m bid on offer from the south Londoners, as Swansea hold out for a sum closer to £12m.
The Premier League duo are also offering add-ons, although The Athletic do not reveal if those will take the total offer up to £12m.
It comes after Leeds identified Downes as something of a Kalvin Phillips 2.0 – Marsch is currently trying to replace the Yorkshire Pirlo after his move to Manchester City, and feels the Swansea man fits the bill.
Interest in the 23-year-old comes after he made 39 appearances for the Swans last season, scoring one goal while also providing two assists in the Championship.
Crystal Palace & Leeds may have already lost to West Ham
In our view, if West Ham are genuinely interested in Downes, then he is heading to the London Stadium.
Why do we sound so sure? Well, the England Under-20 international, who was born in Essex, is actually a boyhood West Ham fan, and told Swansea’s official website that he and his family used to watch the Hammers regularly.
Downes said: “My family are West Ham fans, we used to go to Upton Park. It was such a great ground, everything was so close.”
Therefore, with European football again on the schedule for next season, we can’t see how Downes rejects the chance to play in the Europa League for his beloved Irons, if there is genuine interest.
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