Aston Villa are reportedly ready to step up their efforts to land James Ward-Prowse, with a fresh bid in the works for the 26-year-old English international.
According to a report by Football Insider, Aston Villa are eager to continue beefing up their squad in the summer transfer window to continue their ascent up the Premier League table. Their latest move could be for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, with an offer being readied for the 26-year-old English international.
James Ward-Prowse has, up until now, proven to be a classic case of “one club man”, having joined the Southampton academy aged just eight in 2003 before making swift progress in the youth setup. The English midfielder broke into the first-team squad in 2011 at the nascent age of 16. And in the decade that has passed since, he has grown to become a pivotal figure for the Saints.
So remarkable has been his ascent that he was promoted to the role of club captain last year. And the 26-year-old has led the side by example, not missing a single Premier League game last season while scoring eight goals and providing as many assists in the process. However, Ward-Prowse could well have played his last game for Southampton, with Aston Villa hot on his trails.
Aston Villa have been showing a lot of ambition in the transfer market this summer, having already stolen a march on Arsenal to sign Emiliano Buendia. The Midlands outfit have continued to push to improve their squad to secure European qualification in the upcoming season.
To that end, the Villans have been linked with Arsenal playmaker Emile Smith Rowe while they are also reportedly preparing a club-record bid for Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham. At the same time, Aston Villa are also battling hard to retain the services of captain Jack Grealish, who has been heavily linked with Premier League champions Manchester City.
In the meantime, Villa appear to be determined to bolster their midfield in the wake of widespread rumours linking John McGinn with Liverpool and Manchester United. Even if McGinn ends up staying put at Villa Park, the need to sign a central midfield of the quality of Ward-Prowse is understandable, following the expiration of Ross Barkley’s loan deal.
To that end, Aston Villa appear to be stepping up their efforts to land the Southampton captain, with an official bid being readied to sign him. Ward-Prowse, on his part, is eager to complete the switch to Villa Park as well, as he deems it to be a step up from Southampton. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Villa do end up landing the 26-year-old English international or if the Saints keep hold of their skipper.