Ralph Hasenhuttl is convinced James Ward-Prowse will stay at Southampton despite interest from Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Spurs, speaking to Sky Sports.
Such claims will be music to the ears of everyone at St Mary’s.
After losing star striker Danny Ings and with giant centre-back Jannik Vestergaard on his way to Leicester City, a Saints side that finished far too close to the relegation zone last season could do without losing their captain and set-piece king too.
Aston Villa are long-time admirers of Ward-Prowse, failing with a £25 million bid for the England international at the end of July (Sky Sports).
According to The Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspur were planning an approach of their own, perhaps viewing Ward-Prowse as the perfect foil for the disciplined Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the heart of Nuno Espirito Santo’s midfield.
When you consider Spurs haven’t scored a direct free-kick in the Premier League since Christian Eriksen found the net against Norwich City in December 2019, it isn’t difficult to see what Ward-Prowse would bring to the side.
Ward-Prowse set to stay at Southampton rather than Spurs or Aston Villa move
Hasenhuttl, however, can’t imagine a situation where Southampton cash in on their long-serving skipper, especially with Vestergaard’s exit set to add another £15 million to the club’s coffers.
“(The interest) is normal! I think Prowsey is a guy who everybody wants to have – but I don’t see the scenario for him not to be with us for the next year,” says the former RB Leipzig boss.
“He knows he’s the captain here (and) he knows how important he is for the club. He feels good here.
“I think the squad we see now is the squad we’re going with this season. Maybe one more player is coming in.”
Ward-Prowse isn’t the only midfielder on Aston Villa’s radar.
The Midlands giants made a £10 million offer for Lens destroyer Cheick Doucoure this week, although they’ll need to pay closer to £16 million for a man who also has admirers at Arsenal.
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