Graham Potter ‘makes James Ward-Prowse exit decision’ at West Ham United
James Ward-Prowse has thrived since he returned to West Ham United in the January transfer window.
The 30-year-old spent the first half of the season at Nottingham Forest but made just 10 appearances for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
He was recalled by the Hammers in February and has started the last four games under Graham Potter, becoming a key man for the Irons.
With the former Brighton manager set to assess his squad ahead of the summer transfer window, he has already made a decision on the former Southampton star.
Ward-Prowse set to stay at West Ham
Potter and his recruitment chief Kyle Macauley are planning to overhaul the Hammers’ squad ahead of next season after a dismal campaign.
However, Ward-Prowse has done enough to convince the 49-year-old that he deserves to stay and be a starter for the Irons, according to Give Me Sport [21 March].
The report claims that Potter is set to keep the Englishman around and believes that he is a perfect fit for the system that he is trying to implement in the long term at the London Stadium.
West Ham need to make Ward-Prowse move work
The Hammers need to make Ward-Prowse’s move work as they signed him for a fee of around £30million and he still has two years left on his £115,000-a-week contract.
The midfielder was frozen out by Julen Lopetegui who preferred the likes of Guido Rodriguez and Carlos Soler, both of whom have struggled to make an impact in East London.
| Stats (Premier League) | Ward-Prowse |
| Matches | 15 |
| Starts | 9 |
| Minutes played | 813 |
| Pass Accuracy | 90.3% |
| Tackles won | 61.5% |
Ward-Prowse has made an immediate impact since he earned his place back in the starting line-up and looks to finally be enjoying life at the London Stadium.
If he can end the season strongly, he may find himself a key figure in Potter’s plans for the new season with his sublime passing ability and dangerous set-piece deliveries.
The former Southampton man may be a vital asset if Potter is going to take the Hammers back up the Premier League, towards a European qualification berth.
But while they need reinforcements in several areas, Ward-Prowse’s emergence gives his manager one less area to worry about in the market.