West Ham United are leading the race to sign 28-year-old Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, whose price tag is £40 million.
According to The Sun, West Ham United are keen on having James Ward-Prowse in their ranks. The 28-year-old midfielder’s future at Southampton is uncertain, and he could be on the move in the upcoming transfer window.
Ward-Prowse has been a part of Southampton since his childhood days. He has come up the ranks at the club and become one of the most important players in their setup. The 28-year-old has made over 400 appearances for the Saints and has over 100 goal contributions to his name. The England international has been the mainstay of their team for the past few seasons.
While the Saints struggled as a unit this term, Ward-Prowse has done his bit with 16 goal contributions in his 45 outings. As far as the league is concerned, the 28-year-old has 13 goal contributions in his 38 outings. Despite his efforts, the Saints have failed to survive in the English top flight, with their relegation putting a question mark on the future of Ward-Prowse.
Ward-Prowse has said on his future, “It is nice of course, this is a club that has meant a lot to me. I’ve been here for 20 years and had a fantastic journey, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. You never know what is going to happen in the future.”
While his contract at the club runs until the summer of 2026, the England international could be on his way out in the summer. Southampton are well aware of the interest in the 28-year-old’s services and have placed a £40 million price tag on him.
Despite dropping to the EFL Championship, the Saints are confident that they can secure a fee close to £40 million with three years left on Ward-Prowse’s contract. And a lot of clubs are keen on having the set-piece specialist in their ranks.
Meanwhile, West Ham United are keen on landing the 28-year-old. With Declan Rice all set to leave the club in the summer, the Hammers are in desperate need of signing a new midfielder. They want to sign multiple midfielders to cope with the absence of their skipper.
The Hammers are all set to go all out for Ward-Prowse, who will bring a lot of qualities to their ranks. Despite his age, he will have great resale value given his set-piece record and overall qualities. As a result, it will be interesting to see if the Hammers can land the England international at the club.
