Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has warned Southampton star James Ward-Prowse he will be “working on scraps” if he joins West Ham this summer.
The set-piece specialist has been strongly linked with a move to West Ham with the club reportedly rejecting multiple bids from the Hammers, the last being reportedly close to £30m with Southampton said to be holding out for a fee close to £40m for him.
Speaking to Sky Sports Soccer Saturday, Merson said that if he were Ward-Prowse he would rather stay at Southampton than join West Ham.
He said (via West Ham Zone):
“If I’m Ward-Prowse, you’re not gonna play for England you’re not playing for England anymore in my opinion, he didn’t play last year, I don’t think he gets in the team again, so does he go ‘you know what if everybody’s staying, I’ll stay’.”
“You’re gonna go to West Ham, you’re talking about West Ham you’re not going to one of the top six. You go to West Ham you’re working on scraps. I mean you stay there, it’s a lovely season you’re winning every week everybody likes a winning team. I dropped down the league twice, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth, I loved it.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham are also linked with a move for him, with the latest report from Daily Star claiming that the club has had scouts sent to watch him several times towards the end of last season and that they would be willing to bid close to Southampton’s asking price if a deal can be wrapped up quickly.
The player himself is not going to the forcing a move away out of respect for the club he has spent his entire career with.
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