SAINTS manager Russell Martin confirmed the club hope to land a West Ham player in return, as part of the James Ward-Prowse transfer deal.

It is widely understood that the player is midfielder Flynn Downes, who featured under Martin for Swansea City before landing his move to London Stadium last summer.

Martin confirms the move will see the 24 year old initially sign on loan but the boss has not ruled out the possibility of additional clauses – which could also see a view to a permanent transfer.

“I think it will be a loan, I think there might be some things in there that maybe address that side of it,” he told the Daily Echo, speaking ahead of Saturday’s clash with Norwich City.

Martin added: “I don’t think there is anything else close. Jason keeps me on top of everything but I don’t think there is anything that close that will affect the squad or the group at the moment.

“Fortunately we have no midweek games so that won’t affect anything and the market is starting to get moving now, isn’t it?

“We’re still doing two sessions a day at the moment and that was why I was a bit late today as I was doing a session with the guys who are not in the squad, albeit not a big group.

It needs to happen and I am sure it will over the next few days and certainly in the next week,” the boss concluded.

The Daily Echo then asked Martin if the fees received for Tino Livramento and James Ward-Prowse – and inevitably Romeo Lavia – enable the club to tell some players with a Premier League market that they may not leave this summer regardless.

“I hope so but I also hope that players are enjoying themselves and not in such a rush to leave. That’s all I can control, the rest is not in my control,” he responded.

“All I can control is the work we do, how they feel about us and how they feel about their work and their performance when they step over the white line – so that they’re in less of a rush to leave.

“The club has recruited really positively in certain aspects, the assets they create, how well they’ve done and the financial value they create.

“They need to be helped with people that have been here and been in the division or above and know what it takes for sure this season. They’re the ones we need to keep hold of.

“What it does do is put way less pressure on everyone to sell and the club, the ownership group, Jason (Wilcox) have been so strong on the valuations they want to get from everyone. It’s really helped.”