Overview
- Southampton confirmed on Friday that they have completed the signing of James Ward‑Prowse from West Ham on a two‑year deal.
- The move is reported to cost the club just under £1 million, a low fee compared with his 2023 transfer to West Ham.
- Ward‑Prowse described the return to his boyhood club as “truly special” after rising through Southampton’s academy and making roughly 410 first‑team appearances before leaving in 2023.
- His transfer follows a multi‑season decline in playing time at West Ham that included loan spells at Nottingham Forest and Burnley and limited substitute appearances this season under Nuno Espirito Santo.
- Southampton gain an experienced midfield presence and set‑piece specialist as they replace departed midfielder Shea Charles and seek short‑term stability and leadership at St Mary’s.