Jamie Redknapp lauds ‘fantastic’ Tottenham target who possesses the ‘right quality’ Antonio Conte needs
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has heaped praise on Tottenham-linked midfielder James Ward-Prowse after he helped Southampton secure a crucial win over Leicester on Saturday afternoon.
Ward-Prowse stepped up to take a penalty in the 32nd minute after a Theo Walcott cross hit the arm of Timothy Castagne. Pretty much every home fan in St Mary’s was expecting Ward-Prowse to convert the spot-kick given how effective he is at set pieces.
Surprisingly, the Saints skipper had his penalty saved by Danny Ward. But his head did not drop as he put in a great performance to help Southampton run out 1-0 winners. Carlos Alcaraz scored in the 35th minute after being sent through on goal by Che Adams.
Big Leicester chances fell to Kelechi Iheanacho, but the striker could not finish. Harry Souttar hit the crossbar deep into stoppage time in a major warning for the home side. They held on though to pick up a massive three points in their battle against relegation.
During a post-match interview, Ward-Prowse joked how he would have preferred the penalty to be a free-kick given how successful he is when shooting outside the box.
When analysing the match after the final whistle, Redknapp lauded the England international for not letting his head go down in response to the penalty miss.
The praise will delight Spurs, who are looking into signing Ward-Prowse in case Southampton go down. As per talkSPORT, Spurs will be one of the main suitors if Ward-Prowse becomes available for transfer.
“[He was] magnificent,” Redknapp said on Sky Sports (04/03 at 19:45). “I think alongside [Romeo] Lavia they have a nice balance in there. Lavia has got that little bit of bite and aggression.
Jamie Redknapp hails player on Tottenham radar
“James Ward-Prowse, the best way to describe him is he leads by example. The fact he missed the penalty but that didn’t stop him. Running, chasing, his appetite for the game is fantastic.
“Set pieces, every time he gets something, a corner or free-kick, you fancy him to deliver the right quality in there. I’m such a huge fan of his.”
Ward-Prowse would be a great capture for Spurs. He is a quality Premier League performer who is unmatched when it comes to scoring free-kicks.
He can also set up team-mates for goals by putting in extremely accurate crosses and corners. This kind of quality would help Spurs to score more goals from dead-ball situations.
Ward-Prowse is not just deadly from set pieces. He also leads by example, as Redknapp states, and does not let his team-mates lower their standards. This kind of player is what Conte could do with having in his squad as Spurs eye a Premier League title challenge in the next few seasons.
Ultimately, Spurs’ chances of landing Ward-Prowse depend on which league Southampton are in next season. If they remain in the top flight, the 28-year-old will want to stay put. And the Saints will be able to demand big money for him.
But if Southampton’s season ends in relegation, they will have to admit defeat and let him go, potentially for a reduced price.
Meanwhile, one of the players Spurs shipped out on loan will not be making his exit permanent, a report has revealed.
