Southampton: £100k-a-week star now facing 'tough decision' at St Mary's | OneFootball

Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse will have a move away from the club ‘on his mind’, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The 27-year-old played no part in England’s recent Nations League fixtures despite being part of Gareth Southgate’s squad, and that could come into his thinking when planning for the future.

Ward-Prowse only put pen to paper on a new five-year contract worth £100,000-per-week in August 2021 following extensive links to the likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.

And the set-piece specialist enjoyed the most productive season of his senior career last term, registering 11 goals and eight assists in 42 league and cup appearances.

However, Ward-Prowse has still been unable to cement a regular starting berth in the England set-up, often having to settle for a place on the bench or outings against minnows such as San Marino and Andorra.

The technically gifted ace missed out on the Three Lions’ Euro 2020 squad and has revealed he is using that disappointment as motivation to be part of the World Cup setup.

“It was difficult to take,” Ward-Prowse told Sky Sports on Monday. “It was kind of trying to find that balance of where I was, but I had to use that as motivation to raise my levels even more to make sure I don’t miss out on another one.”

What has Jones said about Ward-Prowse?

Jones doesn’t believe Ward-Prowse will push for an exit but does reckon that he’ll want ‘assurances’ over what direction his career is going in.

He told GiveMeSport: “At this stage of his career, he’ll want to have some assurances about where he’s going, and can he finally get a proper running the England squad?

“So, it’s a tough decision for him. I don’t think he’ll get aggressive about pushing for a move, but I’m sure it’s on his mind.”

How big a loss would Ward-Prowse be?

Ward-Prowse has established himself as a key player for Southampton in recent years, registering over 90 goal contributions in just over 370 outings across all competitions.

And he has maintained his solid form in the early stages of the current campaign, averaging two tackles, 2.3 key passes and 2.4 crosses per league game, placing him in the top three per metric when compared to his teammates, as per WhoScored.

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Losing Ward-Prowse, therefore, would be a bitter blow to manager Ralph Hasenhuttl and his plans for the future.

It remains to be seen where Ward-Prowse is plying his trade next term, but a lot could depend on his role in the upcoming Qatar World Cup.