When West Ham United play Southampton in the Championship this weekend, there will be lots of familiar faces for both sides. The Saints have three former West Ham players: James Ward-Prowse, Flynn Downes, and Divin Mubama. The Hammers also have an ex-Southampton player in Kyle Walker-Peters. There have also been other notable players who have played for both clubs.
Those who have played for both West Ham and Southampton
James Ward-Prowse
Ward-Prowse actually started this season as a Hammer before returning to Southampton. He was a one-club man with the Saints before their relegation in 2023. That summer, he joined West Ham as one of the replacements for Declan Rice who was sold to Arsenal.
The midfielder's first season with West Ham was very promising. He scored seven goals with seven assists in 37 Premier League games. However, when David Moyes was replaced by Julen Lopetegui, Ward-Prowse was sent on loan to Nottingham Forest.
He had limited game time under Nuno Espírito Santo at Forest, and returned to the Hammers when Graham Potter came in for Lopetegui. However, when Nuno became West Ham manager, Ward-Prowse was sent on loan to Burnley. It is fitting that he is back with the Saints, but he will want to get one over on Nuno this weekend.
Michail Antonio
West Ham fans will remember Antonio for his longevity at the club, where he became the club's all-time Premier League top goalscorer. It was remarkable that he became this, as he was often a utility player for the Hammers.
Antonio played at right-back, right-wing, and as a centre-forward. The club tried many times to replace him by signing a new striker. However, the Jamaican international saw them all off.
He was a bit of a journeyman before he joined West Ham. Antonio started his career at the non-league side Tooting and Mitcham. He then joined Reading and was sent on loan multiple times, including to Southampton.
He played for the Saints under former West Ham manager Alan Pardew. In the 2009/10 campaign, Antonio scored seven goals with three assists in 39 games in all competitions for Southampton. He helped them win the FA Trophy and scored in the final at Wembley Stadium against Carlisle United.
His West Ham career ended as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident. He has recovered and is now with Watford. However, has not yet played for the Hornets this season.
Danny Ings
Danny Ings rebuilt his career with Southampton after struggling for game time at Liverpool. He was unlucky with the Reds, as he also had injuries, including a cruciate ligament tear. The striker was prolific for the Saints, scoring 46 goals in 100 games for them.
Ings then went to Aston Villa before joining West Ham. With the Hammers, he was part of the side that won the Europa Conference League. However, the striker was an unused substitute in the final against Fiorentina.
He scored just five goals in 69 games for the Hammers. Ings then played for Sheffield United and is now with Wycombe Wanderers. He scored on his debut for Wycombe against Reading. However, he has since been struggling with a hamstring problem.
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