Newcastle United are reportedly set to battle it out with Premier League rivals Tottenham and Aston Villa for James Ward-Prowse.
According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are firmly in the mix to rival Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in the race to secure the services of Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse in the summer transfer window.
The English midfielder has made a name for himself as one of the best free-kick takers in Europe, having netted 17 top-flight free-kicks and trailing David Beckham’s all-time record by just a solitary goal. With 52 goals and 51 assists to his name in almost 400 competitive games, Ward-Prowse has been a key player for the Saints since graduating from their academy over a decade ago.
He became Southampton’s Premier League record appearance holder last Saturday as he played for the club for the 330th time in England’s top flight. While the 28-year-old was unable to mark that with a trademark free-kick, the Saints skipper helped his team secure a much-needed victory as Carlos Alcaraz scored the only goal of the game at St. Mary’s to lift Southampton off the bottom of the Premier League.
But the south coast club still face the potential prospect of relegation from the top flight. And if they are relegated to the Championship, the Saints may be forced to sell a lot of their prized assets, and Ward-Prowse certainly falls into that bracket.
The Southampton skipper certainly has plenty of Premier League suitors waiting in the wings to take advantage of the Saints’ demise. Aston Villa, for one, have once again set their sights on an ambitious summer swoop for the Southampton enforcer. They previously attempted to sign the 28-year-old in a £25 million deal back in the summer of 2021.
The Saints wanted £50 million for their chief creator back then. But one may suspect that the price tag would fall rather sharply in the event of relegation. Villa could make another attempt to sign the England international in the summer. While they have some decent midfield options, adding Ward-Prowse to the roster would be a shrewd acquisition that could help them in their push for a European spot next season.
Tottenham are also keeping tabs on the player and could make a move for him in the summer. Spurs already boast fine options such as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Yves Bissouma, and Rodrigo Bentancur. But the latter is a long-term absentee, while Bissouma’s signing has not gone as planned.
Newcastle may also wish to address the central midfield department. After all, the Magpies left themselves incredibly light in midfield following the departure of long-serving veteran Jonjo Shelvey this past January. And sporting director Dan Ashworth is now on the lookout for a replacement.
Even before Shelvey’s unprecedented exit, Eddie Howe was looking to bolster the midfield area. Ward-Prowse would provide some top-quality competition for the existing roster and could excel in Howe’s intense pressing system.
Ward-Prowse could be an excellent signing for any of Aston Villa, Tottenham and Newcastle, bringing a combination of technical quality, leadership, bite, and experience in the middle of the park. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this transfer tussle in the upcoming summer transfer window.
