This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Flynn Downes had a good season with Swansea City last year and established himself in the side as he made 37 appearances for the club.

The 23-year-old showed plenty of potential and came away from the campaign with the best pass rate in the Championship.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the young player is attracting interest from elsewhere including Premier League side Southampton, as per Wales Online.

Downes has two seasons on regular Championship football under his belt so far and with that in mind, we asked three writers here at FLW for their thoughts on the transfer and whether the midfielder is ready for the top flight.

Adam Jones

Is it the case of the right player, wrong timing?

Downes certainly has the potential to climb up to the Premier League in the future and last season under Russell Martin has probably given him the technical ability and sharpness to step up to the top flight.

However, the Saints endured an extremely poor finish to last season and you just feel they would benefit from recruiting a player that has more experience in the top flight.

They do need to look at this position though with Will Smallbone being linked with a move away and James Ward-Prowse's future uncertain, so they could do a lot worse than bring in Downes.

At 23 and with a decent amount of experience under his belt, he would be a top asset for the top-tier side and could be a long-term player at St Mary's if he arrives on the south coast.

 

 

Marcus Ally

Downes is a very technically gifted central midfielder for Championship level, but is not yet ready to step up to being a regular starter in the top-flight.

The 23-year-old does not stick out as a player suited to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s 4-2-2-2 formation and it would be a surprising choice of club if he did end up on the South Coast.

The Saints look set for a very difficult season in the top-flight, having finished last term so poorly and it is unlikely that they can rely on James Ward-Prowse’s attacking influence as much as they did last season.

Downes is not suited to a relegation battle or a side that does not have a large share of possession, therefore he should opt to stay at Swansea City rather than make the leap to the Saints this summer.

Billy Mulley

Flynn Downes almost immediately adapted to a unique style of football when he arrived at Swansea City, and whilst he was always suited to a possession-style of football, it is not always easy to walk in at the start of a project.

Swiftly emerging as an integral part of the starting XI as the Swansea.com Stadium, it is no surprise that the 23-year-old is starting to attract interest from the higher division.

He is someone who certainly has the ability to justify a move to the Premier League, and would likely be able to generate a handsome enough fee for the Swans, but Russell Martin will be hoping to keep him close as the Championship outfit raise their own expectations for the upcoming campaign.

A midfielder who sees the game quicker than most, who possesses excellent technical ability, he also impresses with his relentless and gritty nature and would be a huge boost for a Southampton side who will be eager to beat the Premier League drop.