Size And Pace – Sporting Director Delights At Loaning Southampton Star
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Hamburg sporting director Claus Costa has commented on the club’s latest loan signing from Southampton, Damion Downs, highlighting the striker’s blend of quality and developmental potential.
Downs, who has moved to Hamburg on loan until the end of the season, struggled to make an impact at Southampton, featuring for fewer than 400 minutes across all competitions.
The 21-year-old was unable to establish himself at St Mary’s after the Saints spent big to boost their attack, having joined from 1. FC Koln in July on a four-year contract.
He featured in just eleven matches in the Championship, scoring no goals and providing a solitary assist on his debut, a 2-1 win against Wrexham in August.
The United States international last appeared as a 78th-minute substitute in the 3-0 win over Leicester City on 25th November, after which an injury kept him sidelined.
Costa, who played a key role in persuading Downs to move to Germany, stressed that the striker fits Hamburg’s plans perfectly.
He highlighted that Downs brings both Bundesliga experience and significant potential for further development.
Describing him as a vertical centre forward, Costa noted Downs’ combination of size, pace, and depth, his effectiveness in transitions, and strong presence in the box, fitting what the club were looking for this month.
He said on HSV’s official site: “With Damion, we filled an open spot in the squad early in this transfer window.
“He knows the Bundesliga and brings an interesting mix of quality and development potential.
“Damion is a vertical centre forward who possesses a good mix of size, pace, and depth.
“With his strengths in transition and his presence in the box, he fits very well into the profile we developed in close consultation with the coaching staff.”
The current transfer window could be crucial to Southampton as they seek to give rookie boss Tonda Eckert the tools he needs for a promotion push.
Saints have just snapped up goalkeeper Daniel Peretz from Bayern Munich on loan until the end of the season, paying a loan fee of €400,000 to the Germans.
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