Micah Richards says that Newcastle and Liverpool should consider moves for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse this summer.
Southampton and Ward-Prowse had their relegation to the Championship confirmed over the weekend following a 2-0 loss at home to Fulham, bringing to an end the Saints’ 11-year stay in the Premier League.
With their relegation will likely come the exit of several players, none more so than their captain Ward-Prowse and Richards wrote in his Daily Mail column over the weekend that the Reds and Magpies should both consider a move for the Saints captain.
“I have been in the situation as a captain when your club are relegated and the responsibility you feel is immense.
“It is not something you get over easily and he certainly will not be putting himself first. But we have to be honest: he is a saleable asset for Southampton and plenty of clubs will be keen on him.
“He will be a smart buy for someone and it would not be the worst decision in the world if Liverpool, who need a replacement for James Milner, or Newcastle tested the water when the window opens.”
As well as Milner – who is set to join Brighton next season -, Liverpool are also preparing for a future without Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain and Naby Keita, leaving the Reds with Jordan Henderson, Thiago, Fabinho and Curtis Jones as their only midfielders so Ward-Prowse would not be a bad option for them, while Newcastle are set to become an enticing prospect for many players this summer as they aim to secure Champions League football for the first time in 20 years.
A world-class set-piece taker and passer of the ball, English football fans will be shocked if Ward-Prowse remains with his boyhood club in the Championship, the 28-year old proving over the past few years that he has more than enough ability to be part of a team competing in Europe.