It appears to be a foregone conclusion that Declan Rice will leave West Ham United this summer, and the Hammers are already on the lookout for his replacement.
An expected record fee for the England international would allow the east Londoners to strengthen significantly in other areas as well as midfield, so it’s imperative that the club spend the money wisely.
Clearly, the first bit of business on their summer agenda will need to be securing an able replacement for their outgoing captain, and it appears that they’ve already made up their mind as to who they’d like it to be.
According to the Evening Standard, David Moyes intends to prise James Ward-Prowse from recently relegated Southampton and, whilst no transfer fee is yet known, the 28-year-old would be a solid addition.
The issue perhaps at hand is that Moyes may yet not be in the post come the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Scot has overseen a diabolical domestic season when one considers where the Hammers were heading before the start of this season, and even a victory in the Europa Conference League doesn’t change that.
His style of play is practical rather than front foot attack, and that’s unlikely to suit someone like Ward-Prowse who likes to get forward at every opportunity.
Were the Hammers board to go for a new man in charge, it’s entirely possible he would have different transfer targets, but if they were to stick with Moyes, the fan reaction will be interesting to say the least.