Southampton close to sealing Ward-Prowse return

Southampton are nearing a resolution to re-sign their former captain, James Ward-Prowse, from West Ham United. Ward-Prowse, currently 31 years old, departed St Mary's Stadium in 2023 after a remarkable 20-year career at the club, making 410 appearances and netting 55 goals. Upon his move to West Ham, he featured in 75 Premier League matches and also spent loan spells at Nottingham Forest and Burnley.

During the 2022-2023 season, Ward-Prowse contributed with one assist in 14 Premier League games while Burnley suffered a relegation to the Championship. So far this season, he has made two substitute appearances, playing a combined 60 minutes in West Ham's opening Premier League game and against Portsmouth in the EFL Cup. Interestingly, Ward-Prowse did not make the squad for West Ham's subsequent EFL Cup second-round match against Southampton, which took place on Tuesday.

Ward-Prowse's initial connection with Southampton began when he joined the club at the age of eight, marking the start of a 20-year tenure at St Mary's before his departure in the summer of 2023.