West Ham United are leading the race for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, according to a recent report from The Sun.
What's the latest West Ham transfer news?
The main transfer saga surrounding West Ham this summer will be about Declan Rice, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg recently reporting the midfielder could join Arsenal "immediately", despite the interest from Bayern Munich.
Plettenberg also claims Rice has held a telephone conversation with Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel, while it has previously been reported that both Manchester City and Manchester United are interested in the Irons captain.
With the 24-year-old seemingly heading for the exit door, David Moyes is now tasked with finding a suitable replacement, and the Hammers have recently been linked with moves for the likes of Conor Gallagher and Fabio Carvalho.
Another option for the Hammers appears to be Ward-Prowse, and they are now leading the race for the Southampton captain, who could cost as much as £40m, according to a report from The Sun.
The Saints are looking to fund a summer rebuild following their relegation from the Premier League, and they hope to receive a large fee for the 28-year-old, as he will be in high demand, and he still has three years remaining on his deal.
West Ham have tracked the central midfielder for a long time, and they are keen to bring him in alongside Fulham's Joao Palhinha, with both players being targeted to replace Rice.
Should West Ham sign James Ward-Prowse?
Hailed as "sensational" by pundit Darren Bent, the Englishman has, on a personal level, had a fantastic season in the Premier League, creating a remarkable 74 chances, the seventh-highest figure of any player in the top flight.
The midfielder, who shares the same agency as Gianluca Scamacca, played every single game for the Saints, being utilised in both attacking and defensive roles, and he has exhibited a number of different qualities over the past year, ranking in the 82nd percentile for interceptions, and in the 87th for non-penalty goals.
The 2022-23 campaign was not the first time the England international played every match for Southampton, as he became a Premier League record holder by becoming the first midfielder to play every minute of consecutive Premier League campaigns back in 2021.
Given that Rice also very rarely misses games, Ward-Prowse would be a like-for-like replacement in that regard, while he also poses more of a threat on the front foot, and he would be a very solid signing for West Ham.
