Flynn Downes reveals Ipswich Town transfer talks after Southampton bust-up | OneFootball

Flynn Downes has shared why he rejected a return to Ipswich Town in January 2025

Southampton are one game away from the Premier League, at least at the moment, with the Saints set to take on Hull City at Wembley in the play-off final pending the outcome of their now infamous 'Spygate' scandal.

Southampton's revival in the second half of the season has been extraordinary.

Since Tonda Eckert took charge after Will Still's dismissal, the Saints have gone marching up the league, enjoying a 19-game unbeaten streak, including victories over Fulham and Arsenal in the FA Cup, narrowly losing out to Manchester City in the semi-final.

The Hampshire outfit climbed to 4th in the table in the end, overtaking Middlesbrough in the process, who they have since defeated in the semi-finals 2-1 on aggregate, with Shea Charles' late strike enough to confirm their second trip to the capital in a matter of weeks.

Though this success has been clouded by the 'Spygate' incident, in which a member of Southampton's staff has been accused of spying on Middlesbrough's and potentially numerous other clubs' training sessions.

A decision on Southampton's fate will be made on May 19th, where they may be kicked out of the play-off final if found guilty, potentially crushing their hopes of an immediate top-flight return.

One of their star performers to this point has been English midfielder Flynn Downes, who may well not have been at the club had things panned out differently in January 2025.

Flynn Downes shares reasoning for rejecting Ipswich Town for Southampton stay in January 2025

27-year-old Downes has impressed almost everywhere he has been across his career, and the midfielder has become a crucial cog alongside Casper Jander in the middle of the park for Southampton under Eckert.

The Englishman began his career with Ipswich Town, where he would make 99 appearances across all competitions for the Tractor Boys, before spells with Swansea City, West Ham United, where he helped guide the Hammers to the Europa Conference League title, and finally Southampton.

The Saints paid up to £18 million for Downes back in the summer of 2024 following their promotion back to the top flight under Russell Martin, having impressed on loan, but just six months later, his future at St Mary's came into serious doubt.

Croatian boss Ivan Juric replaced Martin in the dugout midway through last campaign, with the former Torino boss falling out with Downes and reporting that he was looking to leave the club after less than a year.

However, Downes has since responded to that incident, saying: "No one has ever spoken to me about the Jurić situation, but I’m as straight up as they come. We had a row on that pitch over there [at Staplewood training ground].

"I was like, ‘well, the manager wants me to leave the club – I’ve got no chance, that’s it’. He came out in the press and said I was desperate to leave – I was never desperate to leave.

"We spoke to Ipswich, but it was my choice not to go. I didn’t say anything. I thought, ‘everyone in the changing room and everyone I care about knows the truth’. I got a bit of stick from the [Southampton] fans, but they don’t know the story. If they knew the story, they wouldn’t have.

"Every time I put that shirt on there’s no one that wants to win more than me. No one in a Saints shirt. So it did hurt me a little bit because no one knew what had happened, but that’s long gone now. It’s done, I let that go a long time ago."

Indeed, Downes remained at St Mary's, rejecting a move to Ipswich, whilst Juric left at the end of the campaign, having been unable to turn things around at Southampton.

Now, Downes has stated his position on the situation, and with Southampton potentially one game away from returning to the Premier League, he has the chance to etch his name in Saints folklore.

Flynn Downes is looking to secure a second promotion in three years with Southampton after denying Ipswich Town reunion

Having joined Southampton on loan for the 2023/24 season, the midfielder would be a crucial cog to their promotion that campaign, and whilst they would suffer a disappointing relegation at the first time of asking next time around, Downes is looking to secure another return to the top flight with the Saints.

Whether they will have that opportunity remains to be seen, as the Saints squad anxiously await their fate.

Downes could well have already been promoted had he returned to Ipswich in January 2025, but having chosen to remain with the Saints instead, he awaits whether his side will get a date with Hull at Wembley, or whether another year in the second tier beckons.