James Ward Prowse has been the backbone of Southampton’s midfield for several seasons but there’s a chance he will want to leave in the summer.
The Saints are having a terrible season as they are currently sitting at the bottom of the Premier League and there’s every possibility that they are going to be relegated. They can still fight their way out of the bottom three but if they are going down then surely James Ward Prowse will want an exit.
A player of his calibre will never want to play in the second division and with clubs like Spurs and Newcastle United interested in signing him, a summer transfer looks even more tempting.
Former SPFL striker Tarn McManus has claimed that the English midfielder will want to head for greener pastures, no matter what happens with Southampton.
“He could end up becoming another Matt Le Tissier,” McManus told Football Insider.
“I think he’s been at Southampton all his career. He’s not quite good as Le Tissier, but he’s a very good player and has been capped for England. He’s 28 now, and I think if he’s going to go it needs to be this season.
“Southampton looks as if they might go down this year as well. But in the peak of his career, he should be looking for his big move – he’s 100 per cent leaving if they get relegated and I think he needs to leave even if they stay up.
“He’s too good for Southampton and it’s time for him to go test himself at a big six club, I think he’s good enough for that.“
Will James Ward Prowse leave the Saints?
James Ward Prowse has been playing for Southampton’s senior side since 2012 and at 28, this is his final chance to play for a big club.
Spurs and Newcastle United will be the ideal destinations for the midfielder and at both these clubs, he will have the chance to play in Europe next season. One of them is likely to play in the Champions League while the other should be good enough to secure a Europa League spot.
He is not a top-class and flamboyant midfielder by any means but he’s someone who’s a proper team player and can work in tandem with his other midfield partners. He’s scored 53 goals in his senior career plus he’s one of the best free-kick takers in England.
Relegation or not but there’s a very slim chance that Southampton will be able to hold onto him. His current contract will expire in 2026 so it will be wiser if they cash in on him and bag around €30-40 million in transfer fees.
