Fulham are now reportedly ‘serious contenders’ to sign Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse this summer.
Marco Silva is keen to bolster his squad after a very successful first campaign back in the Premier League. The Cottagers secured an impressive 10th-place finish in the table, finishing above their west London rivals Chelsea. They also contended for a European spot for the majority of the season but were eventually undone by Brentford, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
According to The Belfast Telegraph and PA news agency, Fulham are leading the race for the signing of James Ward-Prowse. The central midfielder, who has three years left on his contract, is interested in a move to Craven Cottage and Southampton are likely to demand around £30million for their captain.
Ward-Prowse, 28, was the star of Southampton in an otherwise dismal campaign which ended in relegation. He racked up 13 goal contributions and stood out as their best-performing player by a mile but failed to keep his boyhood club in the Premier League. The report adds following the Saints’ relegation, the Englishman wants to leave the club and prefers a move to Fulham over West Ham, mainly because he sees Marco Silva’s style of football as the best fit for him.
James Ward-Prowse to Fulham—The right option for the club?
Joao Palhinha was among Fulham’s best performers last season and his performances have attracted serious interest from West Ham, Liverpool and Man United. As he transformed their midfield, forming a strong partnership with Harrison Reed, the Cottagers have slapped a whopping £90 million price tag on his head.
West Ham will likely lose skipper Declan Rice this window amid interest from Arsenal and Man City. And Palhinha has emerged as a viable target for the Hammers. If West Ham manages to persuade Fulham into selling Palhinha, Marco Silva wants James Ward-Prowse to replace the Portuguese international.
Stylistically, both Ward-Prowse and Palhinha are very different players, but perhaps Silva wants to replace a destroyer with a controlling midfielder next season. Ward-Prowse could link up again with fellow Southampton academy graduate Harrison Reed at Fulham, and their reunion could provide Silva with a solid midfield base.
If Silva decides to use Reed as No.6, Ward-Prowse would be able to string things in the middle of the park and dictate the tempo of games. The 11-cap England international bagged 11 goals from midfield last term despite the Saints’ poor season, while also laying on five assists—so Fulham could hugely benefit from having a player who is creative on the ball and can add goals from midfield.
With 343 Premier League appearances for Southampton, Ward-Prowse would bring volumes of experience to this Fulham side. A set-piece expert, the Englishman could also give an extra attacking dimension to the west London side.
Ward-Prowse is too good for the Championship level, and at 28, he deserves another shot at Premier League football. All in all, he has the qualities and experience to make an impact at Craven Cottage, as Silva’s Fulham aim to break into the European spots next term.