Fulham join race to sign James Ward-Prowse

Fulham are the latest Premier League club to join the race to sign Southampton star James Ward-Prowse, according to the Independent.

Heavily linked with a move away from St Mary’s following the Saints’ relegation to the Championship, the 28-year-old has a host of admirers in England’s top flight.

Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur were among the first clubs to take an interest in the England international when Southampton’s effort to secure Premier League survival failed.

But after reconciling with the imminent departure of key midfielder Declan Rice earlier this summer, West Ham United have entered the fray, having said to be plotting a bid to bring the free-kick specialist to London.

While the Saints remain reluctant to offload arguably their best player and most prized asset, keeping hold of him amid an ever-present interest from the English elite could make that attempt difficult.

On a more positive note, Ward-Prowse’s contract runs out in 2026, which puts Southampton in a strong bargaining position ahead of a prospective tug-of-war between several Premier League clubs.

His future now mainly depends on the domino effect initiated by Rice’s potential switch to either Arsenal or Manchester City now that Bayern Munich are out of the frame.

Once his transfer is complete, West Ham will use the funds from his sale to find a replacement, with Fulham midfield metronome Joao Palhinha emerging as David Moyes’ first choice.

The Cottagers have already taken precautionary measures to fend off the Europa Conference League winners by pinning a monstrous £90 million price tag on the Portugal international’s head.

However, they also have a contingency plan should West Ham match their absurd demands, with Ward-Prowse landing at the top of Marco Silva’s recruitments list.

Brentford were also in the mix before being turned down by the player, who is destined for a new chapter in the Premier League outside St Mary’s.

A move to Craven Cottage would see Ward-Prowse battle shoulder to shoulder with his youth academy comrade Harrison Reed, which could be an added incentive to join Fulham.