West Ham reportedly table opening bid for Southampton’s Ward-Prowse

PREMIER League outfit West Ham have reportedly made their opening bid for Saints captain James Ward-Prowse, lodging a £25million total offer.

The 28 year old has been linked with a move away this summer following relegation into the Championship, having spent his whole career at St Mary’s.

England international Ward-Prowse has scored more goals, provided more assists, taken more shots, made more passes, played more minutes and produced more blocks and tackles than any other Saints player in the last three seasons.

However, despite having three years left on his contract – signed in 2021 amid a transfer offer of similar value from Aston Villa – many consider Ward-Prowse a likely summer leaver.

The Telegraph report that West Ham, the Europa Conference League winners managed by David Moyes, have made their first offer for Ward-Prowse with a ££25million total bid as they look to replace captain Declan Rice.

Rice departed London Stadium to join Arsenal in a transfer worth over £100million and Ward-Prowse is reportedly seen as a player who could play multiple midfield roles for Moyes.

Moyes has been looking at a host of defensive midfielders including Denis Zakaria, Joao Palhinha and Scott McTominay and while Ward-Prowse can play in that position, he can add competition in advanced areas.

The report details that Ward-Prowse has been a long-term target as well as having the advantage of being a homegrown player, while West Ham have also been linked to the likes of Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher.

It was reported earlier in the window that Saints had placed a price tag over double, around £52million, on Ward-Prowse for potential suitors to take their free-kick specialist from St Mary’s.

Manager Russell Martin, director of football Jason Wilcox and owners Sport Republic have all publicly outlined their promotion ambition – while accepting that players will still leave the club ahead of the summer transfer window shutting in September.

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Chelsea reject £40m transfer bid for Conor Gallagher from West Ham

West Ham don’t want to raise offer after being rebuffed, while Spurs are also keen

West Ham have seen a £40million bid for Conor Gallagher rejected by Chelsea.

The Hammers are refusing to raise their offer past an initial fee of £37m plus £3m in add-ons for the Chelsea academy graduate, who is believed to be surplus to requirements.

The 23-year-old also has interest from Tottenham and would be open to leaving Stamford Bridge having been offered out to clubs for the last six months.

Everton proposed a £45m switch in January, which was accepted by Chelsea but Gallagher was unwilling to move to Goodison Park.

The England midfielder has just two years left on his contract and hasn’t been offered a new deal.

Chelsea want to replace Gallagher with Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo but have struggled to make progress in talks.

Brighton believe Caicedo’s value is similar to that of Declan Rice, who West Ham sold to Arsenal for £105m and are now trying to replace with two midfielders, including Gallagher.

The Blues are open to signing more than one midfielder next month with Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus recently sounded out.

Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga, Everton’s Amadou Onana and Southampton’s Romeo Lavia are also on the shortlist.

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West Ham: Leon Goretzka could replace Rice

The 28-year-old would be the perfect heir to the departed captain…

West Ham United are reportedly eyeing an audacious move for Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka, as David Moyes continues his quest to replace Declan Rice.

The Hammers obtained £105m for their captain, who departed for Arsenal earlier this month, with a host of talent identified as potential heirs to the Englishman.

Could West Ham sign Leon Goretzka?

As reported by Sky Sports in Germany last week, the Irons have emerged as one of the clubs eyeing Goretzka, whose future in Bavaria is ‘still uncertain’.

The report claims that the Germany international is one of ‘five candidates’ on the club’s list to replace Rice, with him valued between €40m-€50m (£34m-£43m).

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Ben Jacobs called the potential move a ‘dream’ for the east Londoners, saying in full:

“Goretzka, for West Ham, is kind of a dream. There’s no denying that they like the player. But, at this point, there’s nothing more advanced than that.”

How good is Leon Goretzka?

Lauded as a “top-class” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 28-year-old has enjoyed an emphatic career in Germany, winning the Bundesliga on five occasions, as well as winning the Champions League with Bayern in 2020.

Now, a new challenge could be on the horizon in England, as the Hammers plot an ambitious move for the German.

For West Ham, the introduction of the VfL Bochum academy graduate could be the perfect coup in their bid to fill the void left by Rice, who was dubbed “admirable” by Tony Cascarino via talkSPORT after his 150th Premier League appearance.

While the 24-year-old’s departure will be a tough pill to swallow for the Hammers, Moyes could quickly forget about the former captain if he secured the signing of Goretzka.

The 28-year-old averaged 0.23 assists per 90 over the past year, ranking him in the top 4% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

Having registered a total of 38 Bundesliga assists in his career, the Bayern Munich gem could provide the Irons with a bolstered skill set on Rice, who was criticised by Gary Neville and Roy Keane for not scoring or assisting enough.

When comparing the respective 2022/23 league campaigns of the two midfielders, the numbers suggest that Moyes could sufficiently replace Rice with Goretzka, as per FBref.

The Bochum-born ace averaged 2.24 tackles and 1.09 key passes per 90 in comparison to the Englishman’s 2.17 tackles and 1.02 key passes per 90 in the Premier League last term.

A pivotal area for strength required in the engine room is an eye for progressive play, identified as a decimal mirrored by the two stars, with Rice averaging 6.60 progressive passes and 2.42 progressive carries to Goretzka’s 5.94 progressive passes and 2.19 progressive carries per 90.

Praised for his “aggressiveness and pace” by former Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac, the 28-year-old could be the difference maker for West Ham, in a player that could fill the void, and more, left by Rice.

Moyes could take the Hammers to further heights next season by signing the Germany international, who would no doubt be a dream replacement for their former skipper.