Exclusive: Southampton consider move for West Ham ace James Ward-Prowse amid exit talk

Southampton are interested in re-signing West Ham United midfielder James Ward-Prowse in a permanent deal, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal.

The England international spent 12 years with the Saints between 2011 and 2023 before joining the Hammers on a £30m deal last summer.

Ward-Prowse made 52 appearances across all competitions under David Moyes last term and his exemplary set pieces gave the Hammers an added dimension to their attack.

However, as we exclusively revealed last week, new West Ham boss Julen Loptegui has deemed Ward-Prowse surplus to requirements and he is now available for transfer.

West Ham have signed Guido Rodriguez on a free transfer this summer and the Argentinian international is expected to be ahead of Ward-Prowse in the pecking order.

The former Southampton man has played just 16 minutes of Premier League football so far this term and is assessing his next move ahead of the transfer deadline.

He did start West Ham’s League Cup fixture against Bournemouth on Wednesday night, but he wants regular first team football and could leave the London Stadium in the coming days.

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Southampton ponder Ward-Prowse move

Sources have revealed to TEAMtalk that Ward-Prowse’s agents are ‘working hard’ to secure a move for him this summer.

There have been suggestions that Southampton could try and bring the midfielder back to St Mary’s as Russell Martin looks to build a squad capable of surviving relegation.

West Ham do not expect the full £30m they paid to sign Ward-Prowse last summer but want the bidding to start at £25m for the 29-year-old.

TEAMtalk understands that the Hammers want to sell several players to ensure they are compliant with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

The London club have spent £123.4m on new signings this summer – making them the eighth-highest spending club in Europe as things stand.

Lopetegui has ambitious aims for the coming season and believes he has built a squad that can compete at the top of the Premier League.

But the manager doesn’t view Ward-Prowse as part of his long-term plans and it will be interesting to see if they are able to sell him.

While Southampton are keen to re-sign Ward-Prowse it remains to be seen whether they can stump up £25m to bring him back to the club.

Other Premier League clubs are interested in the midfielder but we understand that he would seriously consider a return to the Saints should the opportunity present itself.

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