Official | Hamburg bring Southampton striker Damion Downs back to the Bundesliga | OneFootball

Southampton striker Damion Downs loan out to Hamburg has been officially confirmed. The six-times-capped USMNT international returns to the Bundesliga on a six-month loan-arrangement. Sport Bild reports that the Hanseatic city state club retains a €10m purchase option as part of the deal. 

Assuming the Sport Bild report is accurate, Downs can return to his native country for around the same amount (with bonuses factored in) that Köln sold him for this past autumn. The native-Bavarian may be compelled to return to Germany permanently after his brief stint abroad produced little playing time. 

Hamburg secure a major coup in Damion Downs deal

The HSV front office – after courting downs for several weeks – managed to close the deal despite plenty of administrative turmoil going on at the club. The unexpected resignation of HSV board-member-for-sport Stefan Kuntz left sporting director Claus Costa and club CFO Dr. Eric Huwer running the current January transfer window.

Costa and Huwer did well to fend off interest in Downs from Werder Bremen. The managerial duo took a well-deserved victory lap in their statements accompanying the signing. Downs himself credited Costa and Huwer for convincing him move to the newly promoted club,

Statements on Downs’ signing

“We have been working very hard to sign Damion over the past few days and are delighted that we were able to convince him to join our project,” Huwer noted in his statement. “[Claus Costa and his staff] have done a great job here. This signing demonstrates our ability to highlight our strengths as a footballing locale.”

“With Damion, we have filled an open position in the squad early in this transfer window,” Costa added. “He knows the Bundesliga and brings an interesting mix of quality and potential. Damion is tall center forward who has a good mix of size, speed, and depth. With his strengths in transition play and his presence in the box, he fits very well into the requirements profile that we have developed in close consultation with the coaching team.”

“I’m extremely happy to be at HSV and looking forward to the journey ahead with the club,” Downs himself said. “I had good talks with the sporting directors, during which I developed a good feeling for the task ahead. Now I can’t wait to bring my strengths to the pitch and play at the highest level in Germany again.”

GGFN | Peter Weis