Southampton don’t want West Ham’s Flynn Downes as part of Ward-Prowse deal

West Ham United are looking for midfield reinforcements after they sold Declan Rice to Arsenal in a £105 million deal. 

They have identified England international James Ward-Prowse as a perfect fit but a deal doesn’t look easy for him. 

Southampton want £40 million for the 28-year-old who has a contract with the club until 2026. But the Hammers value him at £25m, £15m short of the Saints’ asking price. 

West Ham were hoping to smooth negotiations with them over Ward-Prowse by letting Flynn Downes move to St Mary’s Stadium. 

The East Londoners signed Downes last summer for £12m, but manager David Moyes is reportedly not sure whether he can fill the void left by Rice’s departure. 

However, the Daily Mail report the Hampshire outfit are only interested in a straight cash deal for their captain. 

The 28-year-old has been one of the best players to have emerged from the Saints’ youth academy. 

He made his senior debut in 2011 and has since made over 400 appearances for the English club. 

The experienced midfielder has been one of the key players at St Mary’s since their Premier League promotion in 2012. 

He consistently delivered excellent performances to help them stay in the English top-flight. 

But Southampton suffered relegation to the Championship following a disastrous 2022-23 campaign saw them finishing at the bottom of the table. 

Therefore, many of their top players are expected to leave the club including Ward-Prowse. 

Apart from the Hammers, Fulham are also said to be keen to sign the England international.