Manchester City had previously been interested in a deal to sign the England international, but Arsenal have finalised an agreement to land his signature ahead of the 2023/24 season.
It’s always going to be difficult to find a suitable replacement for Rice, who has come on leaps and bounds since making his first-team debut back in the 2016/17 season against Burnley as a late substitute. The 24-year-old has been a key member of the West Ham squad, and certainly played a starring role in their recent Europa Conference League success, having beaten Italian side Fiorentina in the final of the competition. This could prove to be Rice’s final competitive match for the Hammers, and it’s hugely important that they reinvest the funds obtained from his sale at the earliest of opportunities.
If West Ham don’t find a suitable replacement for him, then they run the risk of fighting for Premier League survival once again this term, which would be far from ideal for the club’s supporters and David Moyes to witness.
One player that could be a worthwhile shout as Rice’s potential replacement is James Ward-Prowse, who is contracted with Southampton, who have recently been relegated into the Championship after a disappointing league campaign. Ward-Prowse has been with the Saints since 2003, and made his first-team debut in October 2011, against Crystal Palace in the League Cup.
He’s gone on to make 409 appearances for Southampton, and has chipped in with 55 goals and 53 assists heading towards the new season, which is set to get underway in August. However, it remains to be seen as to whether Ward-Prowse will be remaining at St Mary’s, as West Ham are rumoured to be one of the clubs interested in signing the 28-year-old, who has already shown that he’s more than good enough to be featuring regularly in the top-flight of English football.
Ward-Prowse’s impact from set-pieces is nothing short of sensational, and West Ham supporters won’t need to do much research on his ability from these areas, as there are plenty to choose from, especially from the recent 2022/23 season.
Experts at https://mybettingsites.co.uk/ have revealed that West Ham are the favourites to sign Ward-Prowse this summer with the majority of leading betting sites. Below, you’ll find the betting odds from BetVictor for Ward-Prowse’s potential next club before the summer transfer window reaches a conclusion.
- West Ham @ 5/4
- Fulham @ 4/1
- Wolves @ 6/1
- Tottenham Hotspur @ 8/1
- Newcastle United @ 10/1
- Liverpool @ 12/1
Odds displayed are correct as of 2:56 pm, Tuesday 4th July 2023. Odds are subject to change.
It should be a no-brainer for West Ham to add a player of Ward-Prowse’s quality to their team before the new Premier League season gets underway, as he’s a player with real quality, and is far too good for the Championship. With a host of clubs rumoured to be interested in a deal to sign the Saints skipper, West Ham need to send out a statement with serious intentions of signing him, especially considering that they’ll be in the market for a long-term replacement for Declan Rice.
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