James Ward-Prowse’s nightmare continues with West Ham now on verge of loan agreement

James Ward-Prowse is having a torrid time at West Ham under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Nuno Espirito Santo has added to his squad this window, and Ward-Prowse doesn’t seem to be a part of the boss’s plans.

The former Southampton man came to the London Stadium in 2023 with high expectations, but a lack of game time has seen speculation circle around his future at E20.

Nuno has suggested that Ward-Prowse needs to find another club this window, whether that be a permanent sale or a loan exit.

But Ward-Prowse‘s chances of leaving the Hammers may have just been crushed by his team-mate Guido Rodriguez.

James Ward-Prowse in the Premier League this season.
Credit: Imago

James Ward-Prowse could now stay at West Ham after Guido Rodriguez loan news

West Ham signed Rodriguez from Real Betis at the start of the 2023-24 season, and has quite frankly failed to impress at the London Stadium.

Rodriguez has also been tipped for a West Ham exit, but the Argentine now looks set to get his wish of first-team football.

GamesGoalsAssistsTransfer fee
3201£0
Guido Rodriguez’s full stats for West Ham

As reported by Fabrizio Romano on Tuesday, Valencia are now very close to finalising the signing of the West Ham midfielder on loan until the end of the season.

The Spanish side is paying Rodriguez’s wages in full, as the Hammers now have an extra bit of wiggle room with finances.

But it’s bad news for Ward-Prowse, who may now be told he can’t leave with Nuno a man short in the middle of the park.

Even though the 31-year-old isn’t particularly needed, Nuno still requires a safety net in case any of his midfielders get injured.

Soungoutou Magassa interest also sounds alarm bells for Ward-Prowse

Nuno is confident in his midfield options, with the likes of Freddie Potts, Tomas Soucek, and Mateus Fernandes all impressing under the head coach.

Soungoutou Magassa is also another who has progressed since Nuno’s arrival, with the West Ham boss always seeming to shuffle things up in midfield.

West Ham's done deals so far.

The Frenchman has shown great signs of potential; however, Galatasaray’s interest in Magassa may cause even more need for Ward-Prowse to stay, especially if a transfer goes through.

At the end of the day, West Ham could sanction exits for both Magassa and Rodriguez, but Ward-Prowse would still struggle for minutes under Nuno.

The former England international is a talented player and could very well thrive elsewhere, but his time at West Ham may be about to get even worse.

Stay up to date this winter with our West Ham transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at the London Stadium, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.