---
title: "Southampton: James Ward-Prowse tipped for Arsenal move"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/ward-prowse-tipped-arsenal-move-xhaka-kevin-phillips/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Will Seager"
section: "Premier League"
published: "2022-03-01T17:15:54Z"
modified: "2022-03-01T17:15:54Z"
---

# Southampton: James Ward-Prowse tipped for Arsenal move

**Arsenal should make a summer move for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, [Sky Sports pundit](https://icdb.tv/stats/3186/Kevin-Phillips) Kevin Phillips has claimed.**

### The Lowdown: Ward-Prowse’s importance at Saints

Having linked up with the first team in [2012](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-ward-prowse/transfers/spieler/181579), the midfielder has been a lifelong Saints player, having joined the academy in [2003](https://www.football365.com/news/saints-reject-derisory-bid-for-ward-prowse-from-pl-rival).

Since then, the 27-year-old has made [350 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-ward-prowse/leistungsdaten/spieler/181579) for the south coast club, 293 of which have come in the Premier League.

Ward-Prowse has played a central part in Southampton’s success at maintaining a top-flight position over the previous decade. [SofaScore](https://www.sofascore.com/team/football/southampton/45) have highlighted his contributions this season, having ranked him Ralph Hasenhuttl’s best player for the current campaign, awarding him an impressive 7.33 rating.

### The Latest: Phillips tips Arsenal to move for JWP

On 22 February, [football.london](https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-transfer-saka-contract-arteta-23172365#comments-wrapper)’s Chris Wheatley reported that Granit Xhaka could leave Arsenal in the summer window, with a move to Serie A outfit AS Roma “certainly possible”.

When questioned over who could replace the 29-year-old in north London, Phillips named the Saints skipper as the obvious choice. Speaking with [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/arsenal-told-to-seal-ward-prowse-signing-after-midfielder-exit-update-pundit/), he claimed:

*“Ward-Prowse is the sort of player Arsenal need.*

*“Technically he is a very, very good player and he’s a dead-ball specialist. He’s the sort of player Arteta would love in his squad I imagine.*

*“Could they get him out of Southampton? That’s the question. He just signed a new deal and I think he’s happy there. It would be a big test if Arsenal could knocking though. He could be persuaded to join.*

*“Ward-Prowse is the sort of player Arsenal need to be looking at in the summer. He’d compliment Partey well and let’s be honest, there’s not many better set-piece takers than him in the world.”*

### The Verdict: Huge loss for Saints

As Phillips mentioned, Ward-Prowse is renowned for his free-kick ability. [Pep Guardiola](https://www.goal.com/en/news/the-best-free-kick-taker-i-have-seen-in-my-life-pep-praises-ward-/1ccfst0ctpf4x1jnjicd2bo44l) even hailed the Southampton captain as “the best free-kick taker I have seen in my life”. When combined with the midfielder ranking in the 85th percentile for assists and the 92nd percentile for expected assists (via [FB Ref](https://fbref.com/en/players/3515d404/James-Ward-Prowse)), it is easy to see why the ex-Sunderland striker has touted the 27-year-old as a possible successor to Xhaka at Arsenal.

The Saints skipper has even been praised by Real Madrid legend [Roberto Carlos](https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/19832468.roberto-carlos-praise-saints-skipper-james-ward-prowse/), who said he likes him “very much” as a player.  With similar comments made by his team-mates – [Oriol Romeu](https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/romeu-believes-unbelievable-ward-prowse-170000892.html) has called him “unbelievable” – and the aforementioned [SofaScore](https://www.sofascore.com/team/football/southampton/45) ranking, this shows just how big a blow it would be for Hasenhuttl and his side if Ward-Prowse is tempted into leaving his boyhood club.

***In other news: [These were the Saints’ three best players in the win over Norwich](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/southampton-premiership/southampton-norwich-player-ratings-ward-prowse-walker-peters-romeu/)***