TIM STEIDTEN DOES NOT WANT WEST HAM TO PAY £40M FOR ‘GIFTED MIDFIELDER

West Ham United Technical Director Tim Steidten does not want the club to pay £40 million for Southampton James Ward-Prowse, according to a report.

The Guardian has reported that Southampton want £40 million from West Ham United for midfielder James Ward-Prowse.

West Ham’s latest bid for the midfielder is £30 million.

The Guardian has claimed that the Hammers’ new Technical Director, Steidten, does not want the club to pay the £40 million that the Saints want for Ward-Prowse in the summer transfer window.

“Steidten has been looking for cheaper players in Europe and is understood to be blocking higher bids for Ward-Prowse,” states the report.

West Ham manager David Moyes has reportedly made Ward-Prowse “a key target”, but it is Steidten who does not want the London club to pay over the odds for Ward-Prowse, who was described as a “gifted midfielder” by former Tottenham Hotspur forward Garth Crooks on BBC Sport in February 2022.

West Ham United should not pay £40m for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse

In our opinion, West Ham United should not pay £40 million for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse.

That is too much to pay for a 28-year-old midfielder who will play in the Championship next season.

Yes, Ward-Prowse has extensive experience in the Premier League and is a free-kick specialist.

But, you have to wonder that if the midfielder were really that good, then a big club would have snapped him up already.

And, other than West Ham, no club are making bids for the Englishman.

We have no doubt that Ward-Prowse would make West Ham better and would be an asset to manager David Moyes.

However, West Ham should not pay over the odds and should not simply cough up £40 million for the midfielder.

Ward-Prowse has made 343 appearances in the Premier League so far in his career.

The midfielder has scored 49 goals and given 38 assists in those games.