Liverpool ‘unlikely’ to agree £25m deal to sign star at Anfield

Liverpool will not be able to sign Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse for £25m, believes transfer insider and journalist Dean Jones.

The Reds reportedly want the 28-year-old in a cut-price deal following the Saints’ relegation to the Championship, but Jones says they are not planning on holding a “garage sale” this summer.

Liverpool transfer news — James Ward-Prowse

According to the MailOnline, Liverpool would be open to signing Ward-Prowse for £25m.

However, the same outlet states that Southampton want £50m and that the Merseyside club are now prepared to wait for them to drop their asking price.

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has identified midfield as an area of his squad that needs to be strengthened.

He has already managed to sign Alexis Mac Allister, bringing the World Cup winner in from Brighton & Hove Albion in a £35m deal (via BBC Sport).

What has Dean Jones said about James Ward-Prowse and Liverpool?

When asked whether Southampton should entertain the idea of selling Ward-Prowse to Liverpool for just £25m, Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “They shouldn’t be. I know Liverpool are looking for value, but Saints aren’t holding a garage sale here.

“They’re not desperate to get rid of everything they own all of a sudden. They will only do a deal that’s going to benefit them in terms of getting back.”

Why are Liverpool interested in James Ward-Prowse?

As mentioned earlier, Klopp is on the lookout for new midfielders and Ward-Prowse is a Premier League-proven one.

As per Transfermarkt, the Englishman has made over 300 appearances in the competition. He is also extremely dangerous from set-pieces.

“There is no better taker,” Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was quoted as saying by BBC Sport last year when talking about Ward-Prowse. “Southampton have the best free-kick taker I have ever seen, or at least he is in the world right now.”

What Klopp probably appreciates about the Saints captain most, though, is his work off the ball. As per FBref, the England international has ranked in the 83rd percentile for interceptions among midfielders over the last year.

For such an energetic team like Liverpool, Ward-Prowse could be a smart addition. However, it would be a bit of a surprise if they were able to get him for £25m.

So if the Reds are not more flexible with how much they are willing to pay for the Southampton star, you would expect him to either move elsewhere or remain at St Mary’s this summer.