West Ham United have endured a mixed start to the 2025/26 season.
Under Graham Potter, performances were poor, leaving the club in a precarious position in the Premier League table and resulting in the Englishman being shown the exit door by the powers that be.
The appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo has already brought some optimism — the Portuguese manager oversaw a solid 1-1 draw with Everton in his first match in charge. Though not exactly a landmark result, the overall performance of the side was much improved.
However, Nuno is keen to stamp his own identity on the squad, which could mean changes in both directions during the January transfer window.
One player who could be on his way out is James Ward-Prowse, with Southampton reportedly preparing to make a move.
Southampton Targeting Ward-Prowse
According to GIVEMESPORT senior reporter Andrew Dillon, Southampton boss Will Still is looking to bring Ward-Prowse back to St Mary’s during the winter transfer window.
The 11-cap England international, who left his boyhood club for West Ham in a £30 million deal following Southampton’s relegation in 2023, was omitted from Nuno’s first matchday squad against Everton earlier this week.
Ward-Prowse has been informed by Nuno that he has no future at West Ham and is unlikely to be involved in first-team training moving forward.
This has opened the door for Southampton to swoop in and offer the midfielder a familiar environment, where his experience could play a key role in their push for promotion from the Championship.
While Nuno previously described Ward-Prowse as “quality” — even signing him on loan at Forest last season — his current stance indicates a mid-season exit is now on the cards.
Behind the scenes, Southampton are said to be confident that acquiring the midfielder could provide a significant boost to their promotion ambitions.
