Journalist Paul Brown has backed West Ham to make a move for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse in the summer transfer window.
Is Ward-Prowse leaving Southampton?
The 28-year-old has endured a tough season in the Premier League, being part of a Saints team who will finish bottom of the table. Relegation to the Championship has looked on the cards for some time, and it has become increasingly inevitable as each month has passed.
Ward-Prowse has done his best to keep his team in the division, scoring eight goals and also chipping in with four assists, with a free-kick winner away to Chelsea arguably the best moment of his campaign. There simply hasn't been enough quality around him, however, and Southampton have paid the price.
The £100,000-a-week midfielder has been a great servant at St Mary's, making 408 appearances along the way, but it now seems certain that he will leave this summer, with a player of his calibre not wanting to be playing Championship football.
West Ham are one of the clubs who have been linked with a move for Ward-Prowse and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away, ahead of what is sure to be his final Saints appearance at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
Could West Ham sign Ward-Prowse?
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown talked up the Hammers' chances of sealing the signing of the Southampton captain at the end of the season:
"I think he's a leader, someone you can rely on, a great trainer, brilliant professional. I think he'd be a great signing for West Ham, and if Rice was to go, that would certainly sugar the pill a little bit."
Granted, the fact that Ward-Prowse is part of a relegated team doesn't necessarily reflect brilliantly on himself, but he could still be an inspired signing by West Ham this summer.
At 28, he is in the career sweet spot of being very experienced but also young enough to be at his best for a number of years to come, and he has been hailed as "world-class" by former Saints manager Nathan Jones during their time together.
Ward-Prowse's all-round quality and bite in midfield could help fill the likely void left by Declan Rice at West Ham, with an average of 1.7 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game coming his way in the Premier League this season, as well as two key passes per match, showing that he can be a force both on and off the ball.