West Ham remain in pole position to sign James Ward-Prowse according to the latest odds, although it's been reported that Tottenham might lodge a bid for the midfielder.

Several news outlets are reporting that Spurs are plotting to usurp the Hammers with a £40 million bid for a player who helped Southampton to an opening win over Sheffield Wednesday on Friday.

Ange Postecoglou has apparently identified the England international as someone who can fit into his new-look Tottenham team, with West Ham recently having a £25 million bid rejected by Southampton. It might be that they're reluctant to go much higher for the England international.

Southampton began their 2023/24 Championship clash with a game at Sheffield Wednesday, with Ward-Prowse playing a key role and perhaps he'll remain at St Mary's for the rest of the season.

It had originally been thought that Ward-Prowse would be making a move from Southampton and the football betting sites still think there's a possibility that the Hammers would swoop for the playmaker.

The midfielder has been with the Hampshire club since joining the academy at the age of eight, but the club’s relegation to the Championship means the England international might call time on his career at St Mary’s.

It was initially hard to imagine Ward-Prowse playing in the Championship for the Saints, especially with Euro 2024 just a year away, and he will want to make sure he’s in Gareth Southgate’s final squad for the tournament in Germany. 

The Hammers are cash rich following the sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal, with some bookies going odds-on that David Moyes lands his transfer target. Next in the betting come Fulham, who are looking to strengthen the midfield department, while Tottenham and Newcastle have also been linked with the player.

Could JWP Replace Rice at West Ham This Summer?

Declan Rice has now left West Ham United for Arsenal, and perhaps the Hammers have identified James Ward-Prowse as a player who can replace the outgoing captain. The latter can certainly operate in that defensive midfield position, while he would also be a huge threat from set pieces to boost the Hammers’ chances of a top-half finish.

West Ham have had a £25 million offer rejected by Southampton, and it appears as though they might have to bump up their offer towards £40 million, according to reports. Jason Wilcox, the Southampton director of football, has stated that the club don't need to sell Ward-Prowse, although the player can go if the price is right.

It appears as though manager David Moyes is keen to land the player, although new technical director Tim Steidten is reluctant to go above £30 million and wants to focus on cheaper players across Europe. It's thought that Southampton want £40 million for their prize asset.

Now that West Ham have landed the Europa Conference League trophy, they will be lining up in the Europa League next season, which would be attractive to a player who has never experienced European club football.

The Hammers could also offer Ward-Prowse the chance to enjoy a lot of first-team football, with the Southampton player bidding to muscle his way into the England squad for Euro 2024. The latest odds suggest that David Moyes could land the player with some of the Declan Rice proceeds, although there's still a gap in the valuation. 

Tottenham Likely to Be in Market for Ward-Prowse

It's been reported that Tottenham Hotspur could be about to offer £40 million for James Ward-Prowse.

Spurs are part of the original big six clubs in the Premier League, although they face an uphill struggle next season according to the latest odds.

At least Spurs don't have the distraction of playing European football next term, and there's also the fact that Harry Kane could be leaving.

Therefore, Spurs were a more attractive proposition 12 months ago. They could still go in hot pursuit of a player who has made 342 appearances for Southampton since 2011 and scored 48 goals in the process.

There is no better free-kick taker than Ward-Prowse, which is clearly a big advantage to any club signing the player. However, there’s more to his game than just set pieces, with the midfielder having represented England on 11 occasions, scoring twice.

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Fulham Enter Running to Sign Saints Playmaker

It's not all that often that we see Fulham in the running for a big-money capture, but the London outfit have seemingly identified James Ward-Prowse as a key transfer target this summer. The Cottagers returned to the Premier League last season and achieved a top-half finish under Marco Silva.

They will now look to build on this success by recruiting quality additions to the squad, and that could include Ward-Prowse, with Fulham having to potentially stump up close to £50 million for a player who has no relegation clause written into a contract that is set to run for an additional three years.

The prospect of Ward-Prowse linking up with Andreas Pereira in the Cottagers midfield is an exciting one, while Aleksandar Mitrovic could also benefit from the set-piece delivery of the Southampton midfielder, if he stays at the club.

Could Magpies Swoop for Free-Kick Specialist?

Newcastle United not only have wealthy owners prepared to spend big this summer, they also have the carrot of Champions League football to convince any potential signings. James Ward-Prowse has never tasted European club competition with Southampton, but a move to St. James’ Park would change things.

It’s easy to see why Newcastle might want to continue their trend of signing talented English players, with Eddie Howe sure to have monitored Ward-Prowse throughout his managerial career. Perhaps the manager can convince the player that his future lies at Tyneside, although it would be a big move geographically.

There’s also the possibility that JWP wouldn’t necessarily be a first-team regular, and he will have seen how Anthony Gordon struggled to get game time during his first season with Newcastle. 

Are Liverpool Playing the Waiting Game for Ward-Prowse?

Jurgen Klopp has previously described James Ward-Prowse as the best free-kick taker in the Premier League and perhaps the German has the Southampton midfielder on his shopping list this summer. Having already landed Alexis Mac Allister, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner all leaving Anfield this summer, we might see JWP also line up in part of a new-look midfield for a Liverpool side playing in the Europa League next term.

Liverpool might be more of an attractive proposition than West Ham although there might be less guarantee of first-team football with the former. It has been reported that the Merseyside outfit want to capture this player, but they are only prepared to offer £25 million for his services.

Southampton reportedly want double that amount, and it will be interesting to see whether the Hampshire outfit are prepared to budge when it comes to their £50 million price tag. 

Aston Villa and Brentford Next on the List

It’s highly likely that James Ward-Prowse will remain in England this summer, and perhaps a move to the second city is on the cards. Aston Villa enjoyed an upsurge after Unai Emery took charge, and he would be an interesting midfield recruit to operate in tandem with Jacob Ramsey.

Brentford might also be willing to throw their hat into the ring and recruit a player who has impressed in the Premier League for over a decade, with the Bees now showing more ambition than ever before after recording a top-half finish.