Flynn Downes says it is “mental” how he was received at Ipswich last week after the West Ham loanee returned to his former club with Southampton.
The midfielder told BBC Radio Solent (5 April) that the boos which rained down on him at Portman Road during the dramatic 3-2 defeat on 1 April “did wind me up” because fans don’t know the circumstances of his exit.
Downes, 25, joined the Irons from Swansea in the summer of 2022 after a season in Wales, having spent 14 years at Ipswich since his days as a youth player, but says he was effectively forced out.
Downes said of the booing (3m): “It’s mental isn’t it? I heard it straight away. To be fair it does wind me up a little bit because it’s like they don’t even know the full story of what happened there either.
“They have no idea what went on, the fans. The manager didn’t want me there at the time, he put be in the under-23s. What do you want me to do?”
West Ham may soon become another of his former sides as Southampton reportedly intend to make turning the Irons man’s loan into a permanent stay at St. Mary’s regardless of whether they return to the Premier League [The Athletic, 23 March].
Southampton in line to complete permanent West Ham signing?
If Downes is bemused by the welcome he received at the club where he came through the academy his experiences at the London Stadium might have done something of the same.
Should be remain on the south coast past this summer his exit from West Ham is unlikely to inspire any sort of rancour from Hammers supporters, given the Englishman was barely afford a real opportunity by David Moyes.
Seemingly arriving as a nominal replacement for the retired Mark Noble two summers ago Downes made a total of 35 appearance in all competitions last season, but he rarely started in the Premier League and when he did it was frequently not in his usual central role.
When the departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal prior to the current campaign didn’t herald a new start for the former Swansea man the writing was seemingly on the wall, with Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse signed instead, so if he is comfortable in Russell Martin’s side a transfer in the summer would make sense.
He is one of a number of signings made in recent windows who Moyes has given the impression of never being overly interested in, with Maxwel Cornet and arguably even Gianluca Scamacca among others who failed to gain the trust of the Scot.
The manager saw fit to add another midfielder in January with Kalvin Phillips’ loan from Manchester City, which has so far been a nightmare for the former Leeds star, so if Moyes stays past this summer it would appear he still sees a gap in his options, but it seems unlikely he would belatedly turn to Downes to fill it.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are in the hunt to sign a “devastating” breakout attacking talent.
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