Tottenham Hotspur correspondent and reliable journalist Alasdair Gold has now shared an update on the club's pursuit of Southampton star James Ward-Prowse.

The Lowdown: Spurs in chase...

As reported by credible outlets, Spurs and head coach Antonio Conte have a firm interest in the Saints star this summer who has long been admired in north London.

The Athletic recently backed that he is a target for the Premier League giants as club chief Fabio Paratici scours the market for fresh central midfield additions.

However, it is also believed that Ward-Prowse's club could make life difficult in prising away their star player, with Gold now sharing what he knows on the situation.

The Latest: Gold shares Ward-Prowse update...

According to the reliable football.london reporter, Spurs actually 'came close' to agreeing a deal for the Englishman but didn't 'pull the trigger'.

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As such, with Ward-Prowse now quadrupling in value, Gold claims it cost around £45 million for the north Londoners this time round.

He explained:

"In terms of James Ward-Prowse, he's someone Spurs have liked for a long time and I understand they came close to agreeing a deal for him a few years back but did not pull the trigger. Now he's worth almost four times his value from back then. You're looking at around £45m and I'm not sure whether Spurs spend that sort of money in that central position when other areas are a priority. Admittedly he does bring some qualities that others don't have, not least with those set pieces."

The Verdict: Return with a bid?

It wouldn't hurt to test Southampton's resolve with a formal offer, even despite the challenge in taking Ward-Prowse away from St. Mary's.

Described as 'sensational' by former Spurs striker Darren Bent, the 27-year-old stood out as Ralph Hasenhuttl's key asset by some distance in the top flight over 2021/2022.

According to WhoScored, he finished the campaign as their top goal scorer, averaging their highest match-rating per 90 with the most key passes in the final third to boot.

Homegrown and able to contribute to fixing their quota issue in that respect, whilst an uphill battle, a move for Ward-Prowse may be worth the attempt at least.

In other news: Alasdair Gold also suggests £122,000-per-week 'genius' is open to joining Tottenham! Find out more here.