White Hart Lane - 19/3/17. Southampton's James Ward-Prowse celebrates scoring.
Aston Villa could reignite their interest in Southampton talisman James Ward-Prowse this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.
The Lowdown: Ward-Prowse shining for Saints
Saints may be having a season forget currently, sitting rock-bottom of the Premier League, but Ward-Prowse continues to perform at a high level.
The 28-year-old has scored six goals from midfield in the league this season, with his winning free-kick against Chelsea on Saturday taking him one behind David Beckham’s record of 18.
Ward-Prowse has been linked with a move to Villa in the past and their interest doesn’t appear to be going away.
The Latest: Villa eyeing up move
According to Football Insider, the Villans ‘remain keen’ on the midfielder and could make a move this year even if Southampton survive relegation.
It is claimed that Unai Emery wanted to sign a midfielder in January but failed to land Matteo Guendouzi, so he is likely to return to that area of the pitch in the summer transfer window.
The Verdict: Brilliant summer signing
Ward-Prowse could be a brilliant signing by Villa this time around, bringing a combination of technical quality, bite and experience in the middle of the park.
The 11-cap England international has not only continued to excel at free-kicks this season but he has also averaged 2.1 key passes and 1.7 tackles per game in the league, showing excellence and impact on both sides of the ball.
Should Saints suffer relegation to the Championship, it is surely a given that Ward-Prowse would move on and Emery could see him as the ideal figure to bolster his midfield options.
This is a player who now has 328 Premier League appearances to his name, despite still only being 28 years of age, while Nathan Jones recently described him as ‘absolutely world-class’.
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