Alasdair Gold has revealed that Tottenham passed up on the opportunity to sign Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse for a cut-price transfer fee several years ago.
The Daily Star reported last month that Tottenham were one of a whole host of Premier League clubs, including the likes of Arsenal, Newcastle, Manchester United and Manchester City, to have expressed an interest in Ward-Prowse.
The report added that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side would demand around £60m to part ways with the midfielder.
This was also backed up by The Telegraph, who claimed that the Saints captain is one of eight players at the top of Tottenham’s wishlist.
Gold has now revealed that Spurs have been interested in Ward-Prowse for a long time and they spurned an opportunity to sign him on the cheap in the past.
The journalist expressed doubts over whether the Lilywhites will be prepared to meet Southampton’s asking price for the England international this summer, with other areas being a bigger priority for Antonio Conte’s men.
When asked if Tottenham can make move for Ward-Prowse as part of a Q&A on Football.London, Gold responded: “Spurs are looking at homegrown players as well, particularly if Harry Winks does follow Dele Alli out of the door. Fraser Forster coming into the goalkeeping department will help that in one respect.
MORE SPURS STORIES
“In terms of James Ward-Prowse, he’s someone Spurs have liked for a long time and I understand they came close to agreeing on a deal for him a few years back but did not pull the trigger. Now he’s worth almost four times his value from back then.
“You’re looking at around £45m and I’m not sure whether Spurs spend that sort of money in that central position when other areas are a priority. Admittedly he does bring some qualities that others don’t have, not least with those set pieces.”
Spurs Web Opinion
A midfielder and a striker will likely be the final two positions that Paratici focuses on this summer, with two wing-backs and a left centre-back being the bigger priorities.
I cannot see shelling out the £50m it would take to sign Ward-Prowse, although I do think the Saints star’s engine and technical quality will make him a great fit for Conte’s set-up.
Keep up to date with all the latest Tottenham news and opinion by following SpursWeb’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
