Southampton now in talks to sign £115,000-a-week star, he’s open to the move

Southampton have opened talks to sign former captain James Ward-Prowse, who has just one year remaining on his West Ham United contract.

Ward-Prowse is open to a move to St. Mary’s, after having a difficult spell with West Ham, with the midfielder being sent out on loan to Burnley last season, where he made 14 appearances.

However, he did impress during the early stages of his time with the Hammers, with former manager David Moyes saying: “He’s made big contributions in all the games. It’s been an amazing start. He’s a team player all round. He’s fit as a fiddle, he runs, he does the work. He does several jobs. We’re beginning to get a group of players we could be talking a lot about.”

Moyes also lauded the Englishman as a set-piece specialist, which is a fair description, considering he ranks second in Premier League history when it comes to goals directly from free-kicks.

At 31-years-old, the ex-Southampton man may still have a lot left to give, especially at Championship level, considering he has spent the vast majority of his career in the Premier League, chalking up 422 appearances in the top tier.

A tally of 57 goals and 48 assists during that time suggests he could play a major role in the Saints’ promotion push this season, and they have now started stepping up their pursuit of their former player.

Southampton in talks to sign James Ward-Prowse

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, Southampton have now entered negotiations to sign Ward-Prowse, and The Sun state he is open to a return to St. Mary’s.

The central midfielder joined the Hammers for £30m back in 2023, following the Saints’ relegation from the Premier League, but he now has just one year remaining on his £115,000-a-week contract.

As such, the 11-cap England international would be allowed to leave West Ham for a ‘nominal fee’ before the September 1st deadline, despite making two appearances for Nuno’s side this season.

Ward-Prowse is not the only player who could arrive at St. Mary’s within the next few days, with Plettenberg also stating they have agreed a deal to sign Kevin Schlotterbeck from FC Augsburg.

Much like Ward-Prowse, the 29-year-old centre-back would be an experienced option for Tonda Eckert, having made 152 appearances in the Bundesliga, while he has also collected three caps for Germany.