USMNT striker Downs seals move to Southampton

United States planetary Damion Downs has joined Southampton from FC Cologne connected a four-year deal.

The 21-year-old striker, who played astatine the Concacaf Gold Cup, scored 10 goals and acceptable up 5 much to assistance Cologne to Bundesliga promotion by winning the German 2nd part past season.

Southampton was relegated from the Premier League past play successful England and volition big high-profile Wrexham successful its opening crippled of the second-tier Championship connected Aug. 9.

"Everybody plays shot to triumph titles. To triumph my archetypal rubric astatine 20 past twelvemonth was a large feeling, and I anticipation to repetition it again this year," Downs said connected Southampton's website.

"I deliberation Southampton is simply a large nine that should beryllium successful the Premier League, and that's my extremity -- to assistance the squad arsenic overmuch arsenic I tin to bring the nine backmost to the Premier League."

German shot mag Kicker reported Southampton was paying up to €10 cardinal ($11.7 million) for the American player.

Downs joins a increasing database of U.S. forwards successful England's 2nd tier. Josh Sargent scored 15 league goals for Norwich past term, portion Haji Wright netted 12 times for Coventry.

Downs' Gold Cup teammate Patrick Agyemang is besides adjacent to joining different Championship club, Derby County, ESPN has reported.

Information from The Associated Press was utilized successful this report.