James Ward-Prowse

[ErwinK1961]

Rice to JWP is a chunky downgrade. And that’s no offence to JWP, Rice is just levels above.

I don’t see JWP as a first choice replacement for Rice, I can only see him going there if they don’t get one of their priority targets (like Alvarez) and end up down the list.

Outside of that, Fulham seems the only other realistic shout. Can’t see them stumping up the cash for him. Brighton maybe, but doesn’t fit their transfer model at all (they could sign some unknown for pittance and they’ll slot in seamlessly).

As for wages, he was on £100k p/w, if the wage drop is correct then he’s on around £60k p/w. Will a Fulham be spending £100k p/w on wages for JWP? Not sure. Will be down to how much he wants to play Prem football.

[Ken Tone]

11 minutes ago, John B said:

He is not good enough for Spurs or other top clubs

He's a better player than Hojberg and he was good enough for spurs. They're not even a really top club 

Don't understand the constant running down of JWP on here. 

[goodymatt]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Fulham offered a sensible transfer fee and could beat the wages he was on at Saints last season. They have higher record fees than us I think. Question would be if Prowsey wants to go there. As I’ve said before, it would be sad to lose our 20 year relationship, captain and Mr. Southampton to a historical yo-yo club that’s been in the top flight one season. I don’t think they will be battling relegation next season though, but you never know!

[ErwinK1961]

2 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

I wouldn’t be surprised if Fulham offered a sensible transfer fee and could beat the wages he was on at Saints last season. They have higher record fees than us I think. Question would be if Prowsey wants to go there. As I’ve said before, it would be sad to lose our 20 year relationship, captain and Mr. Southampton to a historical yo-yo club that’s been in the top flight one season. I don’t think they will be battling relegation next season though, but you never know!

According to the ever reliable internet, their highest paid player is Leno on £90k. Mitrovic £80k. Palhinha £50k. He’d be their highest paid player by some distance if he got more than he was on here. I can’t see it

[goodymatt]

1 minute ago, ErwinK1961 said:

According to the ever reliable internet, their highest paid player is Leno on £90k. Mitrovic £80k. Palhinha £50k. He’d be their highest paid player by some distance if he got more than he was on here. I can’t see it

He’s be their top earner then, that’s surprising given the money they spent the last 2 PL seasons. Fair enough!

[goodymatt]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

Even Adam Blackmore was suggesting at least the possibility of it on twitter and I'd wager he knows a fair bit more than the average person given that he speaks to jwp regularly. They must surely have had some sort of informal chat that wasn't broadcast? I've been saying he's off for a while but the recent club stuff makes me start leaning towards him staying. 

[Weston Super Saint]

6 minutes ago, ErwinK1961 said:

According to the ever reliable internet, their highest paid player is Leno on £90k. Mitrovic £80k. Palhinha £50k. He’d be their highest paid player by some distance if he got more than he was on here. I can’t see it

Not really.

He's now on 60k (if the 40% drop is accurate).

Moving to Fulham or anywhere else for 80k per week still gives a "pay rise" from what he is on right now.

Not sure why there is an insistence that he has to be above £100k. Other teams will know what his wage is NOW and only have to beat that....

£60k per week is still a livable wage I'd guess....

[david in sweden]

54 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I think West ham have to be attractive given they have European football (albeit a second rate competition.) If he doesn't go to them for whatever reason then it's only really Newcastle that he may have some chance of moving to. Any teams below that can't offer European football and other than villa probably have at least a chance of going down again and maybe switching places with us. If I were him I would at least think about giving us a season. If he went up playing attractive football with us he really would cement his status as an sfc legend and that's got to be worth more than a decent season at Fulham. 

This could all be silly speculation person by the end of the week when he's gone to join Marco Silva but I do think the club certainly aren't acting like he's off soon. 

IF  he's still on 100K /week, it's not a question of a  lot more money, BUT If he wants to move ..just in order to stay in the Prem. then any club            below the top 6  would mean he'd become " just another Prem. midfielder " (like Maddison) in a mid-table club who won't be playing in a Euro competition next season , and is hardly likely to advance his England  career beyond the occasional friendly game, and knows that he will never            get off the bench in a major tournament squad.

After having moved to Arsenal for 100 million ...Rice will have cemented his England place for a few years, but I must admit that like the last                  100million player (Grealish) I am not overly impresses by either of them, and the footballing media will lambaste Gareth Southgate if he dares                  to leave either of them out of an England squad.

IF ... Prowsey does stay on with Saints - even for another season - he will (like MLT) attain " club legend " status for loyalty, or just the fact                    that he enjoys living on the South Coast and not need to uproot his family for no good reason. 

Edited 29 June, 2023 by david in sweden

[M271]

7 hours ago, SaintBobby said:

Rice is fantastic. I'd argue England's best player. In old school language, he is "engine room" but so much better than that. God knows if they are paying over the odds, but this is a brilliant player.

I’ve never thought of Rice as a star player and often watch an England match and don’t notice him. Mind you I have thought that about many ‘star’ midfield players over the years including Bryan Robson that people raved about but as you say they maybe the engine room of teams. When Saints have played West Ham I’ve never thought omg we’ve got to play against Rice.

Edited 29 June, 2023 by M271

[santolijador]

Feasibly I reckon he could play a few games for us in the Championship before a club like West Ham, Fulham or even one of the bigger teams who miss out on the midfielder glut this summer (Liverpool come to mind with their sketchy recruitment in the last couple of windows) and begin to panic toward the end of August. This might also drive the fee up. 

If he can guide us through a couple of those early fixtures, I'd be pleased. 

I'd also like to think if we do get off to a good start, RM uses him well, he might think that winning a few games this year on the way to a promotion might actually be fun and worth a year of the reported 40% salary drop etc. I guess one of the big things is whether he personally thinks that he can get into Euros reckoning by playing prem. 

Was Grealish ever in the England set up when Villa were in the Champ or nah?

[Daft Kerplunk]

If it is only teams like Fulham interested in JWP, and there is a very good indication that we could return to the prem in one year, then perhaps JWP could stay. If one of the bigger clubs on the verge of doing better like Newcastle come in, then he'd probably not be likely to turn it down.  But as others have said, these were also the players that got us relegated so are not that great or strong of character.  Shit managers yes, but the team has had a weak mentality for years for whatever reason.  That, plus some signings are needed to put quality, and importantly, some grit in this team.  It would be great if our better players saw that going up in a year was possible, and wanted to be part of that.  Big summer without question. 

[Sunglasses Ron]

1 minute ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

If it is only teams like Fulham interested in JWP, and there is a very good indication that we could return to the prem in one year, then perhaps JWP could stay. If one of the bigger clubs on the verge of doing better like Newcastle come in, then he'd probably not be likely to turn it down.  But as others have said, these were also the players that got us relegated so are not that great or strong of character.  Shit managers yes, but the team has had a weak mentality for years for whatever reason.  That, plus some signings are needed to put quality, and importantly, some grit in this team.  It would be great if our better players saw that going up in a year was possible, and wanted to be part of that.  Big summer without question. 

Yeah, this remains the big concern in my head with JWP.  How much of our weak mentality was on him as captain?

I guess I'm pretty apathetic about whether he stays or goes, but on reflection, it would be sad to see such a long-serving player depart and it would be cool if he helped us back up next season.  That for me would cement his status as a player on a similar footing to MLT and SRL. 

[LeBizzier69]

Did he have a relegation wage clause in his contract? I'm sure i saw somewhere that he didn't.....which i'm assuming means he stays on his PL wages? Not that i expect anyone to be privy to the finer detail of a player's Ts&Cs!

[skintsaint]

I said previously that maybe he might give us till Jan to see where we are at. But a good offer from a good club would change that thinking. I don't think he would leave for someone like Fulham.

[Saint86]

8 minutes ago, LeBizzier69 said:

Did he have a relegation wage clause in his contract? I'm sure i saw somewhere that he didn't.....which i'm assuming means he stays on his PL wages? Not that i expect anyone to be privy to the finer detail of a player's Ts&Cs!

This keeps popping up. Nothing has been said about JWP having or not having a relegation wage clause. What was said was that he didn't have a relegation release clause. Entirely separate things.

I think it was rumoured that he has a highest earner clause, and presumably (if he has a relegation wage clause) he'll have a promotion wage clause - so he'll likely be fairly well protected on the wages front whatever happens. Whether his lifestyle can accommodate a 20-40% drop in wages, who knows?!?

Its been said before, unless he needs the money or is offered European football, i think he'll give saints another 6months-12months to see how we're doing in the champ.

His england career is likely gone without joining a top club and playing regularly, so his choice might basically be between becoming a potential Southampton legend (staying and getting promotion) or playing in a lower half prem club he has no affinity to.

Edited 29 June, 2023 by Saint86

[Saint Garrett]

Who knows. I thinks it's one of those that he'd be happy to go if its the right offer, but also happy to stay and cement his place in Saints folklore. I certainly don't think he'll be pushing to move like others have done in the past. It will also probably depend on conversations he's had with Southgate, as to whether he has any chance of being part of the England squad for the next big tournament. He's seems to have Bellingham, Rice, Phillips, Maddison, Gallagher, Mount, Henderson, possibly also Trent / Willock / Ramsey in front of him at the moment, so maybe that will have a smaller affect than we originally thought.

It would not surprise me at all if he stays.

[LeBizzier69]

6 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

This keeps popping up. Nothing has been said about JWP having or not having a relegation wage clause. What was said was that he didn't have a relegation release clause. Entirely separate things.

I think it was rumoured that he has a highest earner clause, and presumably (if he has a relegation wage clause) he'll have a promotion wage clause - so he'll likely be fairly well protected on the wages front whatever happens. Whether his lifestyle can accommodate a 20-40% drop in wages, who knows?!?

Its been said before, unless he needs the money or is offered European football, i think he'll give saints another 6months-12months to see how we're doing in the champ.

His england career is likely gone without joining a top club and playing regularly, so his choice might basically be between becoming a potential Southampton legend (staying and getting promotion) or playing in a lower half prem club he has no affinity to.

Ah yes, it was the release clause i must have been thinking about.

As for his international career, i don't think there's any chance he'll be a regular or even squad member whatever he does. Southgate's policy of favourites has shown that form/playing regularly has almost no bearing on his squad choices. 

[Chez]

1 hour ago, david in sweden said:

IF  he's still on 100K /week, it's not a question of a  lot more money, BUT If he wants to move ..just in order to stay in the Prem. then any club            below the top 6  would mean he'd become " just another Prem. midfielder " (like Maddison) in a mid-table club who won't be playing in a Euro competition next season , and is hardly likely to advance his England  career beyond the occasional friendly game, and knows that he will never            get off the bench in a major tournament squad.

 

There is an underestimation of players desire to play in the top flight. JWP has played in the Prem his whole career. He regards himself as a Premiership player. He is pretty big name and has no reason to play in the Championship. It's `beneath' him at this point in his career if truth be told.

 

I also don't think JWP will require a move to a `top' club. Fulham came 10th last season. They may not be a glamour side, but neither were we. Obviously he will want to go to the best side possible, but if the money was right, I'm guessing it wasn't at Brentford, I'd of thought he would be interested in a move to almost any Prem side. I am not sure playing in Europe is the be all and end all. Playing in the Prem is more important than the Europa League.  

[Chez]

36 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

It would not surprise me at all if he stays.

Which will be dictated by the price tag we have put on him and our willingness to negotiate.

The noises seem to be that we have put high prices on our players and its then up to Prem sides if they think they are worth it, or perhaps that we are bluffing and will come down if other deals don't happen either.   

[Chez]

1 hour ago, santolijador said:

Was Grealish ever in the England set up when Villa were in the Champ or nah?

Nah. He first played for England in 2020. Villa played Prem in 2019/20 season.

[Dusic]

Featuring so heavily in pre season videos/kit launch etc is also an outward way of Saints showing that he is committed and not causing trouble and another message to clubs trying to knock down our price that from our perspective there is no need to comply with that.

Same as with Tella.

Pay what we want and pretty much any of these players will be gone, but unless they refuse to train or play, show bad attitude etc then we are happy to have them until that offer comes in.

[Wurzel]

23 minutes ago, Chez said:

There is an underestimation of players desire to play in the top flight. JWP has played in the Prem his whole career. He regards himself as a Premiership player. He is pretty big name and has no reason to play in the Championship. It's `beneath' him at this point in his career if truth be told.

 

I also don't think JWP will require a move to a `top' club. Fulham came 10th last season. They may not be a glamour side, but neither were we. Obviously he will want to go to the best side possible, but if the money was right, I'm guessing it wasn't at Brentford, I'd of thought he would be interested in a move to almost any Prem side. I am not sure playing in Europe is the be all and end all. Playing in the Prem is more important than the Europa League.  

Fulham came 10th last season...... and Leicester came 8th the season before. Means nothing. The way the rich clubs cherry pick the best of any team who look remotely like threatening their status qou (as they did to us when we had the nerve to finish amongst them) anyone outside those 7 could end up going down at any time.

JWP probably has to weigh up 3 options.  Squad player  at one of the big clubs, regular starter at one of the others but face the prospect of a possible second relegation (probably argue that Villa would be safe next season but wouldn't put money on anyone else), or sticking with us and possibly getting back up to the top next year.  If I was him I'd stick with us for one more year and see what happens, then push for a move if we don't go straight back up.

Of course if he's only interested by the money then any club could probably sway him, but he doesn't seem that type.

[verlaine1979]

He's only got a couple of years left at the top of his game. I wouldn't waste one in the championship if I were him.

[pimpin4rizeal]

4 hours ago, verlaine1979 said:

He's only got a couple of years left at the top of his game. I wouldn't waste one in the championship if I were him.

I think if I were him the free kick record would probably be the biggest draw in returning to the prem a chance to put yourself in the record books and be a talking point for the next ten years or more 

[John B]

23 hours ago, Ken Tone said:

He's a better player than Hojberg and he was good enough for spurs. They're not even a really top club 

Don't understand the constant running down of JWP on here. 

I find your reply a trifling baffling surely Spurs a team which has finished 8th 4th 7th 6th 4th 3rd 2nd 3rd 5th 6th in the PL is not a top team.

 

I have never run down JWP who is decent PL player who scores fantastic free kick goals but is not a top class PL player and will unlikely be playing regularly next season in a team like Spurs

[iansums]

4 minutes ago, John B said:

I find your reply a trifling baffling surely Spurs a team which has finished 8th 4th 7th 6th 4th 3rd 2nd 3rd 5th 6th in the PL is not a top team.

 

I have never run down JWP who is decent PL player who scores fantastic free kick goals but is not a top class PL player and will unlikely be playing regularly next season in a team like Spurs

So baffling that you agree with him?

[Chez]

7 hours ago, John B said:

I find your reply a trifling baffling surely Spurs a team which has finished 8th 4th 7th 6th 4th 3rd 2nd 3rd 5th 6th in the PL is not a top team.

 

I have never run down JWP who is decent PL player who scores fantastic free kick goals but is not a top class PL player and will unlikely be playing regularly next season in a team like Spurs

It's a top 8 team. A team that plays in Europe most years. A team that made the CL final. A team with a billion pound stadium. 

Hoj off to Athletico possibly. Maybe a space opening up?

Liverpool signing Dominik Sziboslai (midfielder from RB Leipzig). A space disappears.

 

Edited 30 June, 2023 by Chez

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

Seen a couple of reports saying an imminent bid is incoming from the wet spam for..... ahem... £20m

[Sussex_saint]

1 minute ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

Seen a couple of reports saying an imminent bid is incoming from the wet spam for..... ahem... £20m

No chance! If he goes for less than 30 mil I'll shit myself 

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

West Ham 'expected to bid £20 million' for James Ward-Prowse

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/23646213.west-ham-expected-bid-20-million-james-ward-prowse/

[HarvSFC]

All these low ball bids. £20m doesn't get you a lot these days. Just about covers an Onuachu, or Vestergaard, but not a Sulemana. 

[Barsiem]

It's an opening bid - they're always too low. Suspect it'll get to £30m and we'll take it.  Tbh I think that's a fair price for him 

[revolution saint]

20M + Flynn Downes?  I could see us negotiating something around that kind of deal.

[SaintsFan86]

£23Million, 5 Million add ons plus Flynn downes. And West ham will probably stick 10% sell on clause too.

Is my guess.

[Turkish]

30 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

All these low ball bids. £20m doesn't get you a lot these days. Just about covers an Onuachu, or Vestergaard, but not a Sulemana. 

West Ham appear to be another club cut from the same cloth as us that only do deals when they want on their terms. 

[teamsaint]

9 minutes ago, Barsiem said:

It's an opening bid - they're always too low. Suspect it'll get to £30m and we'll take it.  Tbh I think that's a fair price for him 

It will be an opening bid, but even given that, it is a pretty insultingly low bid, that is unlikely to impress JWP, unless they are offering astronomical wages.

[Barsiem]

Just now, teamsaint said:

It will be an opening bid, but even given that, it is a pretty insultingly low bid, that is unlikely to impress JWP, unless they are offering astronomical wages.

Why would JWP care what they bid??  

[egg]

1 hour ago, Sussex_saint said:

No chance! If he goes for less than 30 mil I'll shit myself 

This could get messy for you. 

[Charlie Wayman]

6 minutes ago, Barsiem said:

Why would JWP care what they bid??  

Because he is a bloody good Clubman that's why and will not want to see Saints ripped off by a bunch of wide boy Eastenders who know the value of nothing and want everything for nothing. Too old at 28 my arse! They've got £100m to play FFS!

Anyway, there's no hurry, if we are top of the league at the end of August, James might think he has a better and more lucrative future here. 

Let 'em wait, let 'em sweat. They'll crack first.

[Saint Garrett]

1 hour ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

West Ham 'expected to bid £20 million' for James Ward-Prowse

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/23646213.west-ham-expected-bid-20-million-james-ward-prowse/

Would be a disgrace. Not sure he’d be worth selling at anywhere near that price. He could be worth a fortune to us next season assuming he is relatively happy staying, which from what I hear it wouldn’t be a problem. 

[Toussaint]

14 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

Would be a disgrace. Not sure he’d be worth selling at anywhere near that price. He could be worth a fortune to us next season assuming he is relatively happy staying, which from what I hear it wouldn’t be a problem. 

Please expand…. This has the potential to lift my Monday mood greatly 

[hypochondriac]

Does anyone actually have an itk on Jwp and his thoughts? I'm surprised we have got this far into the window with no indication at all about whether he'd actually consider staying. 

[Saint86]

46 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Does anyone actually have an itk on Jwp and his thoughts? I'm surprised we have got this far into the window with no indication at all about whether he'd actually consider staying. 

Its academic Hypo, he isn't leaving this window😏. He might go in January or next summer depending on how the season goes - But for now i remain firmly as convinced as Fareham that he's going o be playing for saints come October. Only way that changes if someone gets desperate and offers silly money/wages.

Edited 10 July, 2023 by Saint86

[Jonnyboy]

I heard solid goss last week that JWP recently completed on a large house in the Hampshire countryside so probably not headed too far from here, if anywhere at all.

Edited 10 July, 2023 by Jonnyboy

[Saint Garrett]

50 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Does anyone actually have an itk on Jwp and his thoughts? I'm surprised we have got this far into the window with no indication at all about whether he'd actually consider staying. 

I have a good mate who knows him and sees him quite a bit. It’s obviously not something they talk about much, if at all really as it’s none of his business, but what I’ve been told is that the club will let him leave if it’s worthwhile for the club, but he wouldn’t kick up a fuss to leave. He absolutely loves the club, and the area, and he’s very much settled. But obviously if it’s too good to turn down then he would probably go, (the likes of the top clubs). I don’t see him going to a Fulham or a Brentford. West Ham there is a draw because of the Europa League, but doubt the club would consider selling at the prices being quoted anyway, 

[Ex Lion Tamer]

The thing is I wonder if JWP's wages are so big, even after the relegation cut, that we may need to get him off the wage bill. With him being 29 this year and never the paciest to start with, we may take a lowish bid. £30m does sound right but if we haven't shifted him by the end of the window, who knows

[hypochondriac]

26 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

I have a good mate who knows him and sees him quite a bit. It’s obviously not something they talk about much, if at all really as it’s none of his business, but what I’ve been told is that the club will let him leave if it’s worthwhile for the club, but he wouldn’t kick up a fuss to leave. He absolutely loves the club, and the area, and he’s very much settled. But obviously if it’s too good to turn down then he would probably go, (the likes of the top clubs). I don’t see him going to a Fulham or a Brentford. West Ham there is a draw because of the Europa League, but doubt the club would consider selling at the prices being quoted anyway, 

If he leaves because the club tell him to go when he's open to staying I'll be pretty pissed. Him staying in the championship would be huge. 

[Dusic]

I still think its extremely likely he will leave as soon as a PL club puts in a decent offer.

All players want to play in the PL, particularly in a tournament year and he would also get a big pay increase to negate his likely relegation cut.

I would imagine the shambles of the last couple of seasons has pissed him off quite a bit too...

[Dark Munster]

36 minutes ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

The thing is I wonder if JWP's wages are so big, even after the relegation cut, that we may need to get him off the wage bill. With him being 29 this year and never the paciest to start with, we may take a lowish bid. £30m does sound right but if we haven't shifted him by the end of the window, who knows

If him staying is the difference between going up or not, then one year of his high wages would be worth every penny.

[egg]

24 minutes ago, Dusic said:

I still think its extremely likely he will leave as soon as a PL club puts in a decent offer.

All players want to play in the PL, particularly in a tournament year and he would also get a big pay increase to negate his likely relegation cut.

I would imagine the shambles of the last couple of seasons has pissed him off quite a bit too...

The issue for him is finding a club who'll actually play him, and pay us a decent fee. There aren't many options, and if the only taker is West Ham, they'll undoubtedly low ball us knowing there are no other chasers. I think he'll go, but I don't think he he'll get a whole lot of football anywhere else, and we won't get the kind of fee many on here are expecting.