The £30m last-gasp transfer that could instantly boost Everton and gift Sean Dyche relegation battle weapon
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James Ward-Prowse jumped ship from Southampton to West Ham United last season in a move that cost the Hammers £30 million. Now, just a season later, the Hammers are reportedly looking to move him on to fund their pursuit of Carlos Soler. West Ham's desire to sell him doesn’t mean his £30 million transfer was a failure; it's more about the new Spanish coach, Julen Lopetegui, seeking a different profile of player for the team.
The former Southampton talisman featured in 50 games for David Moyes last season, providing 11 assists and scoring seven goals. This is a huge return from a midfielder who played both as a number eight and a number ten.
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Hide AdWard-Prowse would walk into many Premier League sides and instantly improve their teams, and one of those teams is Everton. He’s been heavily linked with a move to Nottingham Forest, but it’s clear to see that his qualities would be well-suited for a club like Everton. Under Sean Dyche, they would be a match made in heaven.
The Toffees should be beating off competition from Nottingham Forest to sign Ward-Prowse and improve their squad. The England international would be the ideal replacement for Amadou Onana, who has left the club for Aston Villa. Though traditionally a box-to-box midfielder, Ward-Prowse has the creativity to take on some of the creative workload and push the team forward.
Under David Moyes at West Ham, where he wasn’t the go-to midfielder for goals, Ward-Prowse still managed to score 7 goals from a deep-lying midfield position. Imagine what he could do at Everton, where he would be the star central midfielder.
His enviable dead ball prowess is a major plus for any club lucky enough to secure his signature. Even title-challenging clubs that pride themselves on building from the back to create eye-pleasing chances sometimes rely on set pieces. Everton, securing a set-piece specialist like Ward-Prowse, would be a smart move.
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Hide AdThe Portsmouth-born midfielder has scored 17 goals from direct free-kicks, just one behind the legendary David Beckham, who scored 18 in the Premier League, and four more than Gianfranco Zola, Thierry Henry, and Cristiano Ronaldo. This shows how much of an asset and a deadly weapon he is from set-piece situations.
Everton have been quite messy in their transfer dealings in recent seasons, but this would be an absolute steal if they could pull it off. The £25-£30 million West Ham are reportedly asking for Ward-Prowse isn’t excessive considering his quality and experience in the Premier League.
The player would love the challenge, and it would benefit everyone involved, including West Ham, who would get a decent fee, and Everton, who would acquire a brilliant game-changing player. Last season, Dyche was able to squeeze water from a stone by keeping Everton up—he deserves backing from the board, especially after selling Amadou Onana for big money already this summer. If there was ever a signing Everton must make, this is the one.
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