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Downes Hands in Transfer Request
Tuesday, 1st Sep 2020 10:21

Town midfielder Flynn Downes has handed in a transfer request in the wake of Crystal Palace’s second rejected bid.

In July, TWTD revealed that the Eagles were keen on the 21-year-old with sporting director Dougie Freedman having been at Town’s game at Blackpool at the end of February as the Selhurst Park club continued an ongoing watching brief.

After an initial bid of just over £1 million had been turned down, Palace returned for a further offer last week which we understand was below the £2 million reported and was dismissed out of hand.

Now The Athletic is reporting that Downes, who was TWTD readers’ Player of the Year for 2019/20, has handed in a transfer request in the wake of those bids, which we believe to be the case.

Owner Marcus Evans is understood to have no plans to offload any of the club’s prized assets this summer, despite the financial implications of the coronavirus crisis.

And, while every player has his price, Town would want an overall deal, including clauses such as appearance milestones, worth significantly more than the figures currently being reported if they were to sell the Brentwood-born academy product.

Downes, who we understand has recently taken on a new agent, is contracted to the Blues until the summer of 2022 with the club having an option for a further season.

Asked last week whether he would be a Town player this season, Downes responded: “Hopefully, obviously we’ll see. You can never say for sure, but hopefully I will be.”

Quizzed on whether he was aware of any interest, he added: “I’ve heard little bits and bobs but I’m just focusing on the football, that’s all I can say really, I’m focusing on the football and everything else will be taken care of. That’s sort of it.”

West Ham, who Downes supports and who he faced in a friendly at Portman Road last Tuesday, also made their interest known to Town in January, while Fulham are among the other clubs to have been keeping tabs on the schemer. Reports of interest from Arsenal are understood to be wide of the mark.


Photo: Matchday Images



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DurhamTownFan added 10:25 - Sep 1
Don't really blame him if a PL side wants him. Even if they loaned him out it would probably be in the Championship.

Things are looking pretty chaotic from PL lately, and he seems extremely tense in his comments (as usual!) No clear evidence that we will be promoted, and although there's no clear evidence yet that we won't, I don't hold anything against the lad for wanting to move on from what is quite bluntly, a bit of a mess of a club.
8

boroughblue added 10:27 - Sep 1
Brilliant, happy September everywhere...
3

SamWhiteUK added 10:29 - Sep 1
Asked last week whether he would be a Town player this season, Downes responded: “Hopefully, obviously we'll see. You can never say for sure, but hopefully I will be.”

And now a transfer request. Football player in "lying to try and please fans" shocker.

This is only reports though, so let's see. Would be a big loss
4

boroughblue added 10:29 - Sep 1
*everyone ffs
0

Razor added 10:30 - Sep 1
At least the sun is shining!!
3

BlueandTruesince82 added 10:33 - Sep 1
This seems unlikely to me... could be wrong, hope I'm not but doesn't seem to fit with Downes character or whats been said by him
-1

Swailsey added 10:42 - Sep 1
Would be a huge, huge shame, but I can't blame him if it is the case.

2x offers from a Prem. club, who would suit him well.

I'm sure his wage will increase significantly, and if he hasn't been sold the dream here or has his doubts, why wouldn't he want to challenge himself at the highest level?

We were always going to lose him, but it would have been nicer to at least be in the Championship when that happened!
9

essextractorboy93 added 10:43 - Sep 1
Not what we want to hear on the eve of the season. Clear he wants to go, whenever a Premier League team wants a player it's difficult to keep hold of them sadly. If he wants to go so badly though I'm not sure why he didn't ask to leave earlier in the summer. If he is sold I think we should be looking for 5-6 million up front with add ons
6

Farmerpiles added 10:44 - Sep 1
If true who can blame him, good luck to him if he moves. The only loyalty in football is the fans, players managers come and go. Hopefully we get a good price but I'm not overly bothered as it won't be invested back in the playing side of the club. Gd luck Flynn if true. Coyb
2

SaigonTractor added 10:47 - Sep 1
Not shocking in the slightest. He's clearly way too good for League One and we shouldn't expect him to pass up the chance at moving up 2 divisions.

I expect we'll settle for about £4-5mil. We'd have got more if we'd been promoted. Dele Alli only went for £5mil so I don't see how we'll be able to command more for Downes, especially if he wants out.
2

tractorboybig added 10:49 - Sep 1
if true good luck to him......or he stays and sinks into oblivion
2

Phil1969 added 10:55 - Sep 1
Unless he is on £2m a year and the rest on £500k then anything we get can't be reinvested. On that basis it makes no sense to sell someone on a 3 year deal.
To be fair he hasn't been that wonderful and certainly no Premier player but he may mature into one, so his price will be much more if we get promoted and have a wage cap of £18m and therefore flexibility to replace.
2

ITFC_Cotton added 10:58 - Sep 1
Just think another season with us which is likely to be as mundane as the last and he might not have the interest he's carried the last 2 seasons. Can't really blame him for wanting to jump this sinking ship.
9

timmy2guns added 10:58 - Sep 1
With a salary cap in place on top of a strategy to limit spending the younger players are the future here and he is the one younger player that has proven he can be consistent.

No blame, we would all do the same.

I don't expect the price to be much higher than what palace have already offered and we've got to be dreaming if we think that is the case...
1

Len_Brennan added 11:00 - Sep 1
Disaster for the club & Lambert's system in particular. Nobody else can cement the midfield like he does.
6

LuciBlue added 11:02 - Sep 1
Must include a big sell on %.
3

Kitman added 11:05 - Sep 1
Comes as no surprise...
1

TrueBlue66 added 11:08 - Sep 1
Wouldn't mind looking at sell and re loan for next season possibly? Suit all parties
3

unknown100 added 11:10 - Sep 1
Downes isn't even good enough for a top half championship team let a lone a prem team
-2

ghostofescobar added 11:10 - Sep 1
Who on here, in any job that you like/love, wouldn't move companies if they were offering you three, four, five times or maybe more what you earn now (plus a nice little “golden hello”). Even if my gut loyalty was to my current employer, the only response I would give is “where do I sign?”. Good luck to him.
6

brazil1982 added 11:14 - Sep 1
The positive spin on this is he has requested a transfer, which means we don't have to pay him compensation.

I have no faith in ITFC getting a "good" deal. In fact, it will be undisclosed with "add-ons" so we will never know anyway.
4

Pencilpete added 11:18 - Sep 1
If he wants to go then we shouldn't stand in his way but get a good price and maybe a couple of decent Palace youngsters (like we did with Ryan Fraser on the Mings Deal) on Loan as part of the deal
5

buckyblue added 11:19 - Sep 1
Don' know why people over react saying club a mess,we have a solid structure,just currently under achieving.He is going nowhere for 2mil.worth far more surely?
3

BlueandTruesince82 added 11:21 - Sep 1
Edp seems to have confirmed this as true... worrying times
0

ArnieM added 11:22 - Sep 1
Fine, and cheerio . The problem I have with these players is all the bloody bull shyte they come out with . .....” I'm happy here”...... “ I want to help the Club get promoted .... “ hopefully I'll still be here for start of season”.

Just shut the f luck up with all your horseshyye. At least have the decency to try and be open and honest . Do you think us fans are all c lucking mugs it what ?

Sling yer hook
0


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