Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse has been pursued throughout the current transfer window by West Ham, and now manager David Moyes has made an important decision on the midfielder.
Ever since it was known that Declan Rice was going to leave the east Londoners, Moyes had to identify a suitable replacement or two, and Ward-Prowse was one name that seemed to keep cropping up.
Having been relegated to the Championship with the Saints, the idea of being able to play his football in a European Championship year in the English top-flight will have surely held massive appeal for the 28-year-old.
West Ham, for their part, would know that they were getting a combative and competitive midfielder, full of energy and who was a dead-ball specialist – something the east Londoners lacked.
For all intents and purposes, it was a footballing marriage made in heaven.
However, with less than a fortnight to go until the start of the new Premier League season, and just a few days before the Championship season begins, West Ham have made a definitive decision on the player.
According to Sky Sports, the club have ended their interest in Ward-Prowse owing to the high asking price from Southampton.
So, yet another player slips through Moyes’ fingers and surely puts West Ham on the back foot as they approach the season’s kick-off.