Flynn Downes has signed for Southampton after Ipswich Town made an attempt to bring him back to Portman Road.

The all-action midfielder recently played a key role in helping the Saints secure promotion to the Premier League during a season-long loan spell from West Ham - and he has now made that move permanent in an £18m deal.

The EADT and Ipswich Star understands that Ipswich were ready to match that offer and tried to persuade Downes to return to his boyhood club and work under high-rated boss Kieran McKenna.

However, the 25-year-old ultimately opted to return to the south coast after manager Russell Martin declared he would 'cry himself to sleep' if the deal wasn't done.

Essex-born Downes joined Ipswich's academy at the age of seven and went on to become the youngest captain in the club's history.

Having starred during the Blues' first season down in League One, Downes handed in a transfer request after Crystal Palace showed interest and then asked not to play in a season-opener as that situation rumbled on. A deal could not be struck and he subsequently said he had 'no regrets' over trying to force a move to a Premier League club.

The following summer, having made 100 appearances for Ipswich, Downes exited as part of Paul Cook's 'Demolition Man' squad rebuild, moving to Championship club Swansea City for £1.5m. He admitted, upon signing for the Welsh club, that 'I wanted to leave'.

An outstanding season at second-tier level saw him move up the pyramid again, joining his beloved West Ham in a £9m+ deal which bagged Ipswich a significant sell-on fee. 

While on that season-long loan at Southampton, he returned to Portman Road for the first time on Easter Monday and left on the end of a 3-2 defeat after McKenna's men came from 2-1 down to secure all three points with a dramatic 97th minute goal.

Asked about some of the boos that had been aimed in his direction, Downes told BBC Solent: "It does wind me up a little bit. The fans don't know the full story of what happened at Ipswich. They have absolutely no idea.

"The manager (Cook) didn't want me at the time I left, he put me with the Under-23s team, what did they want me to do? They got sell on fees after I left and money for my sale. It is what it is though, fans are fans."

Upon signing for the Saints, Downes said: “It feels so good, honestly. Walking in this morning, seeing a few familiar faces, it was a real pleasure.

“Being a part of it last year, it was so good. The whole club, the people, I think everything about it is so special.

“I feel like when you connect with people like that, such genuine people, and I'm talking about the whole club here, it's so hard not to want to be a part of that.

“Now I just feel like I can fully settle down here, try and get better, try and play my best football here and help the team be a success.”

Following the summer departures of Dominic Ball (released) and Lewis Travis (loan expired), Ipswich Town's current midfield options are Sam Morsy, Massimo Luongo, Jack Taylor and Cameron Humphreys.