A year ago
Reports suggest Liverpool will target James Ward-Prourage if Southampton lower their £50m asking price
Pep Guardiola has praised James Ward-Prourage before.
Liverpool will have to work around some moving parts as they finalize the ongoing changes to their engine room, but from a standing position, Jurgen Klopp and his recruitment team can't have anyone. better to pursue than the captain of Southampton, James Ward-Prourage.
After shedding initial plans to target Real Madrid-linked Jude Bellingham this summer due to the financial costs of the potential deal, Liverpool have now signed Alexis Mac Allister as they prepare to add add to this same position. So can Ward-Pr’s do it?
His ability to assist is unquestionable, and if he returns to the Premier League soon after being relegated by Southampton, the 28-year-old will almost certainly surpass David Beckham as the top scorer. Most goals in dead ball situations. in the history of the contest. He currently has 17 compared to Beckham's 18.
Of course, that alone is not enough to emphasize his credentials. However, as three-time Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has previously stated, Ward-Pr's expertise in corners and free-kicks could devalue the other qualities the England international has. He has 11 caps for England.
Speaking of him last season, Guardiola said:
"Southampton has the best free kick player I've ever seen or at least in the world right now. He's so good that you probably miss him a bit. "He's a player of great quality, without the ball and with the ball. He really understands the game, but with free-kicks, set-pieces and corners, that's what everyone is. most attentive."
Reports from several national publications indicate that Ward-Prourage is seen by Klopp and his recruiting team as a potential option for reopening the market. However, an article published by The Daily Mail claims he will only be considered if Southampton reduce their asking price to £50m.
Southampton to Anfield - directly or otherwise - has been a journey over the past decade with Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and countless others appearing for the Saints and then Liverpool in the Premier League era. But will this list be added in the upcoming window? Having initially settled at Bellingham and then Mason Mount - who appears to be leaning towards a move from Manchester United - the key figures in Anfield's boardroom appear poised to sign an English player after losing James Milner and Alex Chamberlain on free transfers .
This will, of course, help the club adhere to the current house rules, but any additions made within these guidelines should be good enough to add something to the team first and foremost; especially when Klopp lobbied hard to refresh things in the middle of the park.
Despite no stellar references from Guardiola, Ward-Prourage is a wild card for Liverpool or other teams cultivating top-four ambitions. However, when it comes to tracking Southampton's players, they have been in a similar position with largely positive results.
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