Despite goalless gloom, HSV striker still eyes the World Cup! | OneFootball

Last winter, HSV placed great hopes on the signing of Damion Downs. However, the forward has disappointed so far.

Merlin Polzin's frequent praise of his strong pressing behavior doesn't change that. When HSV managed to lure the much-coveted Downs away from the English second-division club FC Southampton, the officials expected one thing above all: goals.

In this regard, the 21-year-old has been a complete disappointment so far. Despite five starting appearances and 403 minutes of playtime – which Robert Glatzel and Yussuf Poulsen haven't reached throughout the entire season – Downs is still waiting for his first goal involvement in an HSV jersey.

But it's not just the lack of goals. The former Cologne player also fails to meet expectations as a target player, has noticeable problems with ball handling, and rarely impresses in the air despite his 1.92m height. Therefore, it is almost out of the question that the Rothosen will exercise the agreed purchase option of ten million euros. If Downs starts scoring in the coming weeks, at most a renegotiation of the transfer fee seems realistic.

Photo: IMAGO

US Coach Observes HSV Training

It is clear: The American himself likely envisioned the course of his loan quite differently. Downs came to Hamburg with the major goal of recommending himself for a squad spot at the home World Cup in North and Central America. He hasn't come closer to this goal: The last time the striker played for the senior national team was last September, and during the last international break, he was only nominated for the U21 team.

Nur die Raute – All News about HSV

Nevertheless, there is still hope. As reported by Mopo, US assistant coach Miguel D’Agostino is currently in the Hanseatic city and also paid a visit to Volkspark. D’Agostino observed the training and exchanged views with Polzin. National coach Mauricio Pochettino and his team still have the HSV star on their radar!

The truth is: Downs is by no means in the pole position for a squad spot. D’Agostino is currently on a tour of Europe, scrutinizing numerous candidates for the home tournament. However, the fact that the Hamburg player is still among these candidates can be seen as a positive sign.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.