The likes of Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City, and Wrexham are among the sides battling to earn promotion out of the Championship this season.
All of those teams are vying to finish in the automatic promotion places or, failing that, in the new and improved play-off system that now stretches down to eighth place.
The Saints are looking to make moves in the transfer market to move ahead of Wolves, Birmingham, and their other rivals, and have already sealed a deal to bring back one of their former stars.
West Ham United central midfielder James Ward-Prowse has completed a return to St. Mary’s, three years on from his move to the London Stadium from the south coast.
The concern with Southampton’s deal for James Ward-Prowse
This is an exciting deal on paper for the Saints because they have brought back a player who produced 55 goals and 52 assists in 410 appearances for the club after coming through the academy in his first spell.
However, it may not be the slam-dunk signing that it appears to be on paper for Eckert’s side, because his form in recent years suggests that he is past his best years.
Ward-Prowse failed to make a success of his time at the London Stadium and spent parts of the last two seasons on loan at Nottingham Forest and Burnley in the Premier League.
|
Ward-Prowse (Premier League) |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
24 |
18 |
|
Goals |
1 |
0 |
|
xA |
2.59 |
1.88 |
|
Assists |
2 |
1 |
|
Duels won |
1.9 |
2.3 |
|
Duel success rate |
48% |
51% |
In the last two top-flight campaigns, the 31-year-old midfielder did not offer outstanding quality as a scorer, a creator, or as a combative midfield player, which is why there should be a concern that he may not make a significant impact on the pitch for the Saints.
He is not the same player that he was during his first spell at the club, as evidenced by his form in the last two years, and expectations should be adjusted to account for that.
How Southampton can land an instant Ward-Prowse upgrade
Whilst Ward-Prowse will provide great experience to the group, given his history with the club, the board are already looking at another midfielder who could make a greater impact on the pitch in the here-and-now.
According to TEAMtalk, Southampton are one of a host of teams interested in a deal to sign Al Shabab central midfielder Josh Brownhill before next week’s deadline.
The report claims that Birmingham City, Wrexham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United, Hull City, and Coventry are all also in the race for the Englishman.
It adds that the former Burnley star is a candidate to leave Al Shabab as they look to balance their finances before the end of the window, which has opened the door to a potential return to England.
Brownhill would be a terrific signing for any of those teams, including Southampton, Birmingham, and Wolves, because he is a proven Championship performer who could hit the ground running this season.
He played in the division as recently as the 2024/25 campaign and fired the Clarets to promotion with his exceptional performances in the middle of the park, providing a constant threat at the top end of the pitch.
|
24/25 Championship |
Josh Brownhill |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
42 |
|
xG |
9.99 |
|
Goals |
18 |
|
Big chances created |
8 |
|
xA |
4.90 |
|
Assists |
6 |
|
Tackles + interceptions per game |
2.3 |
|
Duels won per game |
3.4 |
Brownhill’s return of 24 goal contributions in 42 matches in his last season in the Championship shows that he could be an outstanding addition to the Saints, Blues, or Old Gold squad as a player who can be a difference-maker in games with his goals and assists.
The 30-year-old dynamo has proven that he can score and assist goals at an impressive rate in the second tier and would, therefore, improve any squad that he joins this summer.
Since leaving England to sign for Al Shabab last summer, the Englishman has racked up 11 goals and three assists in 45 appearances in all competitions, showing that he has also been in excellent form in front of goal of late.
Ward-Prowse, meanwhile, has produced one goal and two assists since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, compared to Brownhill’s 29 goals and nine assists, which suggests that the ex-Burnley man would be a far better addition to the squad.
Whilst Ward-Prowse appears to be on the decline and has struggled in recent years, Brownhill could hit the ground running at St. Mary’s as a player who is in the form of his life and thriving as a goalscoring midfielder.
That is why Southampton should now be pushing to win the race for his signature ahead of the likes of Birmingham, Wolves, and Wrexham before the deadline.
