Summary Declan Rice's £105m departure gives West Ham the power to revamp their squad for the upcoming season. James Ward-Prowse is being considered as part of David Moyes' revolution at West Ham; negotiations with Southampton are underway.
West Ham’s summer starts now. The £105m fee acquired from Declan Rice’s departure gives David Moyes the power to revamp his squad.
With Europa League football in the upcoming season, there is no room for complacency, and there must be another reshuffle of the squad.
One name tipped to be part of Moyes’ continued revolution is James Ward-Prowse.
What’s the latest on James Ward-Prowse to West Ham United?
According to The Guardian, the Hammers are set to step up their interest in Ward-Prowse and are prepared to smooth negotiations with Southampton by allowing Flynn Downes to move in the opposite direction.
Fulham are also interested in the 28-year-old, but West Ham are ahead in the pecking order due to their offering of Downes.
It is understood that the midfielder, who could cost at least £40m, is keen on the move, and Moyes is a fan of his Premier League experience and set-piece expertise. However, the Irons are yet to submit a formal bid.
The report also details that West Ham want to bring in two midfielders after selling Rice – and Joao Palhinha, Youssouf Fofana, Conor Gallagher, Denis Zakaria, Scott McTominay and Amadou Onana are among the possible options.
Would James Ward-Prowse be a good signing for West Ham?
Ward-Prowse first joined Southampton as an eight-year-old in 2003, and after making his first-team debut in October 2011, he has gone on to make over 400 appearances for the club.
Upon making his Premier League bow on the opening day of the 2012/13 season, then-manager Nigel Adkins lauded him as “outstanding” – and he continued in that vein over the years.
The Englishman has also been the Saints' captain since 2020, and in recent times, has undoubtedly been their most important player.
Last term was a nightmare for Southampton – a chaotic whirlwind of unsuccessful transfers, a lack of squad harmony and a managerial merry-go-round resulted in a miserable relegation that will see the club play Championship football for the first time since 2012.
However, Ward-Prowse defiantly displayed that he should be playing top-flight football, and was a shining light in a desperately disappointing year for the south coast outfit.
The 11-cap international started every Premier League game and was the club’s top goal contributor (nine goals and four assists), averaged the most key passes per game (1.9), and created the most chances in all competitions (81; Che Adams in second had 23).
Ward-Prowse also possesses an esteemed reputation as one of the world’s best set-piece takers, having scored 17 free-kicks in Premier League history, just one behind David Beckham in the all-time rankings. He has netted six winners from direct free kicks, which is the best figure in the division.
This impressive repertoire of leadership and skill led former manager Nathan Jones to eulogise over his talent, saying: "He's been absolutely world-class for me. He's one of the best technicians I've ever seen, the consistency he shows is world-class."
The signing of Ward-Prowse appears a relatively low-risk transfer for the Irons as he has over a decade of top-flight experience, which coupled with his supreme technical impudence, means he would be an invaluable addition at the London Stadium.