West Ham United midfielder James Ward-Prowse, who is currently on loan at fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest, could now be sold on a permanent deal, according to The Athletic.
Ward-Prowse joined the Hammers from Southampton after an impressive stint with the Premier League strugglers. The English midfielder spent his whole career at the Saints, coming through the academy, before eventually deciding to leave the club after their relegation to the Championship.
It's not quite worked out for Ward-Prowse since his arrival in London and the Portsmouth-born midfielder was sent out on loan during the summer transfer window, with Julen Lopetegui and Tim Steidten bringing in the likes of Guido Rodriguez and Carlos Soler earlier this year, meaning there was more competition for places in the middle of the park.
As per The Athletic, Ward-Prowse will be available for transfer in 2025, alongside Nayef Aguerd, Kurt Zouma, and Maxwel Cornet. The 30-year-old midfielder isn't doing enough out on loan to impress Lopetegui and his team, making just five Premier League starts for Nottingham Forest so far this season.
The report adds that Lucas Paqueta is not for sale, while Mohammed Kudus is still a player in demand. The capital club have been focusing a lot of their scouting on Ligue 1, with Lyon attacking talent Rayan Cherki among the targets being 'viewed favourably'.
Earning £115k-a-week at the London Stadium and struggling to make a significant impact, it's no surprise that the Hammers are already looking to cash in on the England international. Unfortunately for West Ham, due to his age, it's going to be difficult for them to recoup all of the money they paid for him
West Ham signed Ward-Prowse for a fee of £30m back in 2023, but he's been unable to increase his value since then with his performance levels stagnating. His contract isn't due to expire until 2027, so the Hammers may have to accept making a loss if they want to offload him in 2025.
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