Last season, West Ham signed James Ward Prowse from Southampton for £30 million to create more goal scoring chances from the midfield. Ward Prowse has been one of the best set piece specialists in the Premier League, which meant that the Hammers will score more goals from set piece chances. In his debut season at West Ham, Ward Prowse scored seven goals as well as provided eleven assists in around 50 appearances for the Hammers.
This is a great performance however, most of his goals and assists came through set piece chances. Further, Ward Prowse struggles with the physicality of the Premier League and doesn't create good chances from the build up play as well. Hence, star forwards Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus have to create chances as well, on top of scoring goals. Also, West Ham are very close to signing Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Carlos Soler as the new box-to-box midfielder which will reduce Ward Prowse's playing time this season.
West Ham want £25 million for star midfielder
Thus, Ward Prowse may leave West Ham this summer and West Ham are also open to selling him as well. Now, according to Caught Offside, West Ham want a transfer fee of £25 million for the experienced midfielder. Several Premier League clubs like Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspurs are interested in signing the 29-year-old.
Moreover, a return to his former club Southampton isn't ruled out, where he has spent his playing career before joining West Ham last season. Southampton want to sign a new forward to score more goals and can sign Ward Prowse again to score more goals from set piece chances as they aim to avoid relegation this season.