Trevor Sinclair says West Ham United have ‘a great interest’ in James Ward-Prowse but believes a raid for Southampton’s Premier League talisman may have to wait until 2023, speaking to talkSPORT (29 June, 12.15pm).
According to Football London, West Ham have slapped a staggering £150 million price-tag on Declan Rice’s forehead this summer.
Now, that is not to say the London giants believe that their homegrown hero is destined to become the second-most expensive footballer in the history of the game. It’s just that a prohibitive price-tag is often the most effective means of scaring off suitors and saving yourself from a summer of never-ending gossip.
Southampton, it seems, have done something rather similar.
Per The Sun, captain marvel Ward-Prowse – labelled ‘world-class’ by manager Ralph Hasenhuttl – is currently valued at £75 million. A transfer fee would make even the Mountbatten statue in Grosvenor square shed a tear or two.
No wonder speculation regarding the set-piece master has been thin on the ground in recent weeks.
Will West Ham target Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse next year?
“I don’t think there’s any teams in the Champions League who are going to want to bring James Ward-Prowse in,” says Sinclair, the former West Ham winger.
“I know West Ham are showing a great interest in James Ward-Prowse and that’s possible maybe not this summer but next summer. But I don’t think Champions League teams are in for him and that’s why Southampton are not gonna sell him.”
Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan knows better than most how finances work in football. And, as he points out, Ward-Prowse is worth far more to Southampton than the fee they’d get if the Saints were to sell their academy graduate-turned-skipper.
“He’s such an integral part of the way they play,” Jordan explains. Someone would have to spend a lot of money for James Ward-Prowse, for Southampton to sell him.
“I don’t think he’d be worth the money Southampton would demand for him. If Southampton say they want £60 or £70 million, no one’s going to pay it.”
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