West Ham sign James Ward-Prowse for £30m: Decoding his stats
West Ham United have signed Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse for £30m. The England international ends his 20-year stay at Southampton. Ward-Prowse has penned a four-year deal with the Hammers. This will see him return to the Premier League as Southampton got relegated last season. The 28-year-old midfielder will be West Ham's second summer signing after they snapped up Edson Alvarez from Ajax. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
Ward-Prowse has been featuring in the Premier League for a long time for the Saints and now with them getting relegated, Ward-Prowse had to leave the club to play in the top tier again. The England international left Southampton after his 20-year stay. He joined in 2003 and gradually rose through the ranks. He will provide great depth in midfield for manager David Moyes.
20 years at Southampton!
Ward-Prowse started his footballing career at Southampton's youth academy back in 2003. He gradually rose to the ranks to play for their Under-18 team. He played 16 matches for the Southampton B team, scoring twice. It was in October 2011, when Ward-Prowse made his Southampton senior team debut against Crystal Palace (EFL Cup). He played 410 matches, scoring 55 times and making 54 assists.
Breaking down Ward-Prowse's stats in 2022-23 Premier League
Ward-Prowse featured in 38 Premier League matches last season. He scored nine goals and made four assists while creating 74 chances. The 28-year-old completed 1,638 out of 1,920 attempted passes clocking an 85.31% pass accuracy. Out of his 33 shots (excluding blocks), 20 were on target. He made 65 tackles and completed eight take-ons. Wa4d-Prowse made 55 interceptions, 45 clearances, and 10 blocks.
Second-most free-kick goals in the Premier League
Ward-Prowse is known for his exquisite passing range and exceptional free-kick accuracy. He has scored 17 goals in the Premier League from a direct free-kick. Only David Beckham (18) has scored more goals from direct free-kicks in the Premier League. Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Gianfranco Zola are jointly third having scored 12 free-kick goals in the league.
11 caps for England
Ward-Prowse's exceptional performances for Southampton also saw him feature for England in 11 matches. The 28-year-old midfielder made his international debut in March 2017 in a 1-0 defeat against Germany. He has netted twice for England, his first goal came against San Marino in 2021.
