Liverpool are reportedly prepared to be patient regarding their interest in a player who captained his side during the most recent Premier League campaign.
According to the Daily Mail, the Reds are willing to hold out on a move for Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse, who’s currently valued at £50m by his club.
There’s believed to be a feeling that, when the summer transfer deadline draws closer, the Saints may be forced to lower their asking price for the 28-year-old off the back of their relegation from the top flight, with the Merseysiders said to be ‘tempted’ if they could get him for £25m.
Considering how instrumental a player Ward-Prowse has been for Southampton during their latest 11-year stint in the Premier League, it’s no surprise that they’d be desperate to try and bank as much as they possibly can for him if left with no choice but to sell.
A player renowned for exceptional dedication even at Premier League level (The Athletic), the Saints skipper scored once every seven games during his top-flight career (49 goals in 343 appearances), a highly respectable return over a prolonged period of time.
The south coast club will likely expect plenty of interest in him following their demotion, although it’s understandable why Liverpool are seemingly trying to play the waiting game rather than jumping straight in for him.
The Reds clinched the signing of Alexis Mac Allister in midweek for a reported £35m (Fabrizio Romano), just half of the amount that Sky Sports claimed Brighton were holding out for as recently as early May.
The Anfield hierarchy may well be looking at how drastically the Argentine’s fee altered over the course of only a month and hoping they can pull off a similarly economical coup for Ward-Prowse, whose displays in the Premier League over the years suggest that he’d be a tremendous acquisition for LFC.