Aston Villa have made preliminary moves in their attempts to sign Southampton star James Ward-Prowse, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Villa hoping to sign Ward-Prowse by July 5

Villa were linked with a move for the Saints captain a day after agreeing a club-record deal for Norwich City’s Emiliano Buendia.

Reports since then have suggested that owners Wes Edens and Naseef Sawiris will back a move and want a deal finalised in time for Villa’s pre-season return, which is July 5.

That’s in just 16 days’ time, and it now seems as if Villa are starting to ramp up their attempts to sign the set-piece specialist.

The Latest: Source shares update

Football Insider shared a story on Saturday morning, talking to pundit Noel Whelan about a possible Ward-Prowse transfer.

Within the story, they claimed a Villa source has informed them ‘the club have made preliminary moves’ for Ward-Prowse - six words which appear to show Villa’s intentions when it comes to signing the midfielder.

The Verdict: How many more signings will Villa make?

A deal for Buendia is now official, as is one for Ashley Young, so Ward-Prowse could well become the club’s third senior addition of the current window.

If Villa are successful in their pursuit of the 26-year-old, Dean Smith may still decide to bolster his squad, especially with two pending exits.

Tom Heaton will leave the club when his deal expires at the end of the month, whereas Bjorn Engels is finalising a move to Royal Antwerp this weekend.

Cover for Emiliano Martinez and a fourth senior centre-back may appeal to Smith, so Villa may not be done just yet, even if they spend big on Ward-Prowse.

In other news: Villa make contact for international defender, find out more here