What Nuno Espirito Santo said about James Ward-Prowse at Nottingham Forest
West Ham supporters have all eyes on how West Ham will lineup for Nuno Espirito Santo’s first game in charge.
West Ham travel to Everton for their sixth Premier League game of the season on Monday night in search of just their second win of the season.
Graham Potter’s side beat Nuno’s Nottingham Forest last month, but the former Chelsea boss has lost his job after winning just 28 per cent of his games.
Nuno has previously worked with Max Kilman at Wolves and James Ward-Prowse at Nottingham Forest, with the pair potentially benefiting from his arrival.
Nuno Espirito Santo full of praise for James Ward-Prowse at Nottingham Forest
Ward-Prowse has been blasted by West Ham fans for his underwhelming performances so far this season.
The midfielder hasn’t had the best of times since arriving at the London Stadium in 2023, and was shipped off to Nottingham Forest on loan last season.
However, Ward-Prowse has managed to keep his place under Potter, with the Hammers faithful questioning the decision to play him during his time in East London.
- Nuno said, “He is different. His experience and quality, his talent and his knowledge of the game,” when Ward-Prowse joined
- The midfielder made just nine appearances for Forest, scoring one and assisting one
- His loan was cut short on February 3, 2025
Despite having limited gametime during his time on loan in the East Midlands, Nuno is still a fan of the midfielder.
When Ward-Prowse was recalled, Nuno said: “It was very hard because since James came in he was a big help for us. … Every game he played he helped us.
“There was a moment where he was not playing … and then his parent club told us … the decision was for the best for all parties.”
What Nuno Espirito Santo has said about James Ward-Prowse’s free kicks
Ward-Prowse scored a worldy of a free kick for Southampton against Nuno’s Wolves side in 2022.
The 30-year-old has yet to show his set-piece qualities since joining West Ham, with the Hammers managing just one goal from a corner this campaign.
When Ward-Prowse scored from 35 yards for the Saints, Nuno said the midfielder had “shown his quality.”
“How do you stop it? A good wall, and then prevent the ball going inside your goal – and pray! He [Ward-Prowse] is a very good kicker of the ball,” he said.
Supporters will be hoping he can regain his fine form under Nuno. Otherwise, he will be offloaded in future transfer windows.
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