The one thing Russell Martin must do at Southampton if Flynn Downes transfer happens

Prior to their Premier League comeback, Southampton’s top aim this summer is to sign Flynn Downes permanently.

Flynn Downes, who joined Southampton on loan last summer,

was one of the team’s best players and demonstrated why Russell Martin was so keen to sign him.

Although his strong tackling and dynamic possession play were outstanding,

For one player, though, his coming might not be such good news.

Downes will be among the first names on the squad sheet if he decides to relocate to the south coast.

With Southampton won only two of the 10 league games he missed the previous season,

it is evident how essential he is to the way Southampton wants to play. He has earned that right via his performances.

Given the jump up in quality associated with the Premier League and the over-reliance on Downes,

Martin may really have to recruit another holding midfielder even if they do convince West Ham to sell.

In light of this, Southampton ought to think about loaning out defensive midfielder Shea Charles,

a 20-year-old who made 38 appearances across all competitions last season,

with limited opportunities expected to present themselves. It is unlikely that Martin will change this attitude going forward.

As Southampton got ready for life in the Championship last summer,

they paid £10.5 million to buy Charles from Manchester City.

In his debut season as a senior professional, the young player had a respectable performance.

It’s interesting to note that Charles had actually played for Northern Ireland’s senior team

more times than he had at the club level before joining the Saints.

Charles is well-liked in his native country, and during a 2-0 victory over San Marino in March 2023, his manager at the time,

Michael O’Neil, was all over Charles, saying, “Shea was magnificent, I thought.”

He rarely wasted a pass, and he broke up the play. For the final fifteen minutes,

we positioned him in the middle of the back three, and he showed no signs of fear.

“To be honest, his game temperament is the best I’ve seen in a young player.”

Charles, who is still very young and has already had a valuable senior football season, will only become better.

To further his development and position himself to have an impact at Southampton in the 2025–2026 season, a loan might be the best option.

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