Southampton is ready to finish the signing of Damion Downs from FC Köln in a deal price €8 million (£6.8m, $9.4m), Softfootball can report.
Based on The Athletic, Downs is anticipated to endure his medical at Southampton.
The 21-year-old ahead, who lately featured for the USA Males’s Nationwide Group (USMNT) on the 2025 Gold Cup, is anticipated to turn into one of many first main signings below new Saints head coach Will Nonetheless because the membership seems to rebuild following their relegation from the Premier League.
Born in Bavaria to an American father and German mom, Downs got here by the youth ranks in Germany and represented the nation at junior ranges earlier than switching his worldwide allegiance to the USA earlier this yr.
He earned his senior debut for the USMNT in Could and was included in Mauricio Pochettino’s last squad for the Gold Cup. He performed a key position off the bench throughout the match, notably scoring the decisive penalty within the quarter-final shootout win over Costa Rica, and was launched as a second-half substitute within the last defeat to Mexico in Texas on Sunday.
Downs spent final season within the 2. Bundesliga, scoring 11 targets for Köln in all competitions. Although primarily a centre-forward, his mobility and urgent capacity have made him a standout expertise and earned him admirers throughout Europe.
Southampton, who completed backside of the Premier League with simply 12 factors, want to revamp their squad following a tough marketing campaign. Downs is seen as a long-term venture that might be central to their promotion push within the 2025-26 Championship season, which begins in early August.
Will Nonetheless, appointed final month after leaving Reims, is main a big recruitment drive at St Mary’s, with the membership focusing on youthful, athletic profiles to spearhead their return to the highest flight.
Downs’ transfer brings an finish to his time in Germany, the place he developed by Köln’s academy and made his senior breakthrough. His bodily attributes and worldwide publicity are seen as splendid for the calls for of the English second tier, and his arrival provides to the rising American affect within the Championship this summer season.
As Southampton seeks to herald a brand new participant, Softfootball earlier reported how the Saints’ winger Tyler Dibling has been valued at £55 million by Chelsea. Chelsea are reportedly in talks with Southampton over a shock swoop for Tyler Dibling, whose final stint at Stamford Bridge lasted simply weeks.
The 19-year-old joined Chelsea in 2022 however struggled to adapt to being away from residence, which led to his departure after a couple of weeks. Nonetheless, he’s believed to be extra prepared for a transfer away now, particularly with Southampton dropping all the way down to the Championship.
