Loan with option to buy 

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Bundesliga club Hamburger SV have signed US men’s national team striker Damion Downs on loan from Southampton. Signed initially on loan, Hamburg have an option to buy that could make the 21-year-old one of the three most expensive signings in club history. Southampton will receive a loan fee of €500,000, and Hamburg will pay the player’s wages and will have an option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season for a fee in the region of €10 million plus add-ons that could see the deal grow to €12m. A fee in that category would be more than what the club paid for prominent signings like Marcus Berg (€10m) or Vincent Kompany (€10.5m).

“With Damion, we’ve filled a position in the squad that we were looking to strengthen early on in this transfer window. He already knows the Bundesliga and brings an interesting mix of quality and potential for development,” said director of football Claus Costa, giving more of an insight into the 1.92m-tall striker. “Damion is a direct centre-forward and has a great mix of size, pace, and ability to get in behind. With his strengths in transition and his presence in the box, he fits very well with the profile of player that the coaching staff were looking for.”

Downs joined Southampton from 1. FC Köln for €8m last summer, but struggled for playing time in the Championship. The former Köln academy player managed just one assist in 11 games for the Saints. As a result, his market value was downgraded in December. It was the first time in Downs’ career that his evaluation had dropped. While playing for Köln in the 2024/25 2. Bundesliga season, the American saw his market value grow from €1m to €6m. Following his transfer to Southampton, his market value rose to €8m, but his performances were downgraded to €7m. Despite his lacklustre performances in the Championship, Southampton could make a transfer profit on the young striker.

Downs to Hamburger SV – Beat out rivals Werder Bremen

Hamburger SV were not the only club interested in the forward. Another club in the race to sign the striker were Werder Bremen. But despite losing director of sport Stefan Kuntz, who left the club for personal reasons, Hamburg were able to beat out their rivals to Downs signature. The plan for the USMNT striker is to use the Bundesliga as a platform ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting. Downs made his debut for the United States in June, but Mauricio Pochettino didn’t call up the forward for the games in October and November. Instead, he featured for the U23.

Last season, Downs was one of the best players for newly promoted Köln. The striker managed ten goals and five assists in the 2. Bundesliga last season. The 21-year-old also managed two goals in ten appearances from the bench during Köln’s 2023/24 Bundesliga season, in which the club was relegated to the second division. I’m extremely happy to be at HSV and to begin this journey with the club. I’ve had good conversations with management, which has given me a good sense of the task ahead. I can hardly wait to show what I can do on the pitch and play at the highest level of German football again,” said HSV’s new number 19.