West Ham are the favourites to sign Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse summer following the Saints’ relegation to the Championship.
The Hammers are priced at 5/4 with talkSPORT BET to make the move for the England international and set-piece specialist, ahead of the likes of Newcastle and Fulham.
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The 28-year-old has been at Southampton since he was just eight-years-old and has spent the entirety of his youth and professional career at the south coast club, and has played more than 400 times for the Saints.
The midfielder still has three years remaining on his current deal but after years of rumours of a move away, and relegation to the Championship last month, this summer is expected to be the window in which Ward-Prowse leaves his boyhood club.
West Ham are in the driving seat to secure the signature of the star, and boss David Moyes could see the Saints skipper as a potential replacement for Declan Rice, who could be on his way out of the London Stadium this summer.
Fellow West Ham midfielders Tomas Soucek and Conor Coventry, like Rice, only have a year remaining on their current deal, so a midfield overhaul could be expected in east London in the foreseeable future.
The Hammers had a disappointing league season, only surviving relegation with a small handful of matches to play and will be looking to improve their squad in order to force themselves back into the top half next season.
James Ward-Prowse Next Club Odds (talkSPORT BET)
- West Ham – 5/4
- Fulham – 4/1
- Newcastle – 6/1
- Wolves – 6/1
- Tottenham – 8/1
- Everton – 10/1
- BAR – 16/1
Newcastle have been linked with a move for Ward-Prowse since their lucrative takeover by their new Saudi Arabian owners just under two years ago.
The Magpies upset the odds last season by securing a top four finish and next season will be playing the group stage of the Champions League for the first time since 2003.
Boss Eddie Howe will have a busy summer of transfers ahead of him as he looks to build a squad that can compete in the league and in Europe, and Ward-Prowse just may be a part of those plans.
Tottenham are another team likely to be busy in the transfer market this summer after a disappointing season saw them finish down in eighth.
Ange Postecoglou has recently been appointed as the man in charge to steady the ship in north London, and could talkSPORT BET are pricing the Australian at 8/1 to sign the now Championship midfielder.
Brighton and Aston Villa are also in the market to improve and bolster their midfields after upsetting the odds to qualify for European football next season, and Ward-Prowse could prove to be a target for either team.
They are in the market at 12/1 and 14/1 respectively, while moves to Crystal Palace or Leeds are 16/1, as are potential moves across the continent.
Liverpool and Nottingham Forest are both 20/1 to sign the midfielder, while Fulham, Wolves (both 25/1) and Everton (33/1) are further down the pecking order.
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