James Ward-Prowse struggled for game-time under former Southampton boss Mark Hughes.
According to a report from the Daily Echo, James Ward-Prowse was considering looking to leave Southampton last summer as he struggled to force his way into Mark Hughes’ plans at St Mary’s.
The midfielder has been a revelation since Ralph Hasenhuttl arrived on the south coast after Hughes’ departure. He scored seven goals in the Premier League last season, all of which came after the Austrian had been appointed towards the end of 2018.
But it appears that the 24-year-old’s future could have gone down a completely different path had Hughes remained in charge. The Daily Echo reports that Ward-Prowse was considering his future with the Saints after finding himself out of the picture under the Welshman.
The Echo adds that the midfielder acted impeccably during the summer, and it was his professionalism that quickly convinced Hasenhuttl to make him a prominent part of his side following his appointment.
Hasenhuttl masterstroke
While Hughes’ tenure will be largely looked back upon as an underwhelming one – apart from the fact that he did manage to ensure that they stayed in the top flight – his decision to not use Ward-Prowse did not seem to be one of his most infuriating calls.
The Englishman’s potential has been obvious for a long time, but his versatility appeared to count against him as it seemed unclear for some time what his best role in the side was, and some supporters may have begun to doubt whether he would ever actually realise that full potential.
But he is definitely back on track under Hasenhuttl, leaving the Southampton supporters with yet another reason to be delighted about the current boss’ arrival in the Premier League.
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