West Ham rival Crystal Palace for Swansea midfielder Flynn Downes

Forum 1 year ago

West Ham rival Crystal Palace for Swansea midfielder Flynn Downes

West Ham United are in talks with Swansea over a deal for midfielder Flynn Downes, 90min can confirm.

The 23-year-old, who is a boyhood Hammers fan, has been at Swansea for just a single season, and made 37 appearances in the Championship last year after joining from Ipswich for around £1.5m.

Downes has been on the radar of Crystal Palace, who enjoyed a fine first season under the management of Patrick Vieira, with the Eagles looking to strengthen their options in central midfield after Conor Gallagher returned to Chelsea after a successful loan spell.

But their bid to sign Downes is under serious threat from a West Ham side also in need of extra bodies in the middle of the park.

Mark Noble has retired and Alex Kral has returned to Spartak Moscow after a disappointing loan at London Stadium, leaving Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek - and attacking duo Pablo Fornals and Manuel Lanzini to a lesser extent - as the club's only senior options.

90min understands that West Ham are pressing ahead with their interest in Downes, which was first established during the January transfer window, and talks have opened with Swansea over a potential transfer.

A bid for Lille midfielder Amadou Onana was turned down last week, providing further evidence that manager David Moyes is keen to bolster his options ahead of a second consecutive season of continental football - West Ham will appear in the Europa Conference League during 2022/23 having reached the semi-finals of the Europa League last year.

Interest in Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill remains, 90min further understands, but Downes may be slightly more affordable given he is yet to play Premier League football.

West Ham also want to sign Jesse Lingard on a free transfer, though he is still undecided about his future, and Chelsea striker Armando Broja, who could be allowed to leave amid interest from a number of Premier League sides.