In the final week of the summer transfer window, West Ham were involved in negotiations to sign midfielder Carlos Soler from Paris Saint-Germain. Soler was viewed as a great box-to-box midfielder to provide defensive stability to the Hammers as well as contributing in the attack while advancing inside the final third. Therefore, West Ham started to listen to offers for James Ward-Prowse to make way for Soler's signing and reached an agreement with Premier League side Nottingham Forest on a season long loan move on the final day of the transfer window.
West Ham also brought in Soler on a loan move as well, but the decision to let Ward-Prowse leave on a loan move after contributing in eighteen goals last season was surprising and several Hammers fans were also wondering whether the club should have kept him as well alongside Soler to improve their squad depth. Recently, in the fourth Premier League matchday Ward-Prowse made his debut for Nottingham Forest in their huge 1-0 away win over Liverpool. The former Southampton star started the match and completed 31 out of 38 passes throughout the game and also helped the team while defending by winning the ball possession several times as well.
James Ward-Prowse brilliant on his Nottingham Forest debut
Further, the 29-year-old showed his athleticism and match fitness by consistently making good runs and finding empty spaces behind Liverpool's midfield. Overall, it was an amazing debut for Ward-Prowse which resulted in a memorable win over Liverpool with Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi scoring the only goal of the match. If Ward-Prowse continues his impressive performances this season, West Ham will highly likely receive a significant transfer fee for his permanent move to Nottingham Forest next season.
Meanwhile, Carlos Soler also made his West Ham debut and played well in his second half performance with the Hammers coming from 1-0 down to level the match with a Danny Ings equaliser in the last minute of the match.