The London club have so far struggled to meet Southampton’s price tag…
West Ham United have reportedly made one more final offer for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, as they look to welcome the midfielder to the London Stadium before the start of the new season.
The Saints have set a price-tag of £40m for the midfielder, according to reports.
What’s the latest on James Ward-Prowse to West Ham?
The Hammers haven’t exactly had straight forward negotiations with Southampton when it comes to Ward-Prowse. And, now, they’ve submitted a final ‘take it or leave it’ offer of around £30m, according to TalkSport, who also reported that the offer will likely be rejected by Southampton, who are holding out for £40m.
With that, it looks increasingly unlikely that Ward-Prowse will be a West Ham player in the coming season, unless the Hammers return to suddenly change tact and meet Southampton’s asking price.
As things stand, the Saints captain could play a part in his side’s opening game of the Championship season this Friday, as they travel to Sheffield Wednesday.
It would be some turn of events if Ward-Prowse started for Southampton to start their Championship season, having been linked with a move away as soon as the Saints suffered relegation from the Premier League last season.
Should West Ham sign Ward-Prowse?
After losing Declan Rice to Arsenal for a reported £105m, to say that West Ham need a midfielder would be an understatement. The Hammers certainly have the budget to welcome players, too. It’s just about spending that budget wisely.
Signing Ward-Prowse would be an ideal way to finally get their spending underway, too, even at the £40m mark. The England midfielder offers an unmatched threat from set pieces, as well as possessing traits similar to Rice when on the ball.
According to FBref, last season, Ward-Prowse completed around one less pass than Rice per 90, with 4.55 of those passes being progressive, which again fell just one short of Rice’s tally. So, whilst West Ham have lost arguably their best player, if they meet Southampton’s asking price they’ll have themselves an ideal replacement who’s really not far behind in terms of on-ball quality.
Ward-Prowse has attracted plenty of praise over the years, too, including from former teammate Charlie Austin, who told TalkSport: “He’s come through the academy there and has been there for so many years. I just think that it hasn’t been the right opportunity. I think now is the time for him to move.
“His set-pieces and that are brilliant. He’s probably going to beat David Beckham’s record but, the nuts and bolts of his game, running hard, winning the ball back, and leading his team are phenomenal.”
As things stand, it looks unlikely that we’ll see Ward-Prowse in West Ham colours in the coming season, but one thing that is a certainty is that the midfielder is a Premier League-level player.
If it’s not West Ham, then another club could yet make their move for the Saints captain. On set pieces, alone, the threat that Ward-Prowse offers could prove to be an incredible asset for several top sides.
As the summer transfer window continues, Ward-Prowse is certainly a player to keep an eye on when it comes to his next move.
