West Ham United have confirmed James Ward-Prowse has completed a permanent transfer to Southampton, bringing his three-year spell with the Hammers to an end.
The 31-year-old has returned to the club where he came through the academy and spent the first two decades of his career, with West Ham officially announcing his departure on Friday.
Southampton agreed a deal with West Ham on Thursday, with the transfer reported to be worth under £1million.
West Ham confirm James Ward-Prowse departure
Ward-Prowse originally joined West Ham from Southampton for around £30m in August 2023.
His first campaign in east London was his most productive, with the midfielder scoring seven Premier League goals and providing seven assists as he became an important part of the Hammers’ midfield.
However, his role diminished over the following seasons.
Ward-Prowse spent part of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Nottingham Forest before joining Burnley temporarily during the second half of last season.
He returned to West Ham this summer and featured twice during the opening weeks of the new campaign, but his long-term future under Nuno Espírito Santo remained uncertain.
The Hammers had already agreed Ward-Prowse’s return to Southampton on Thursday before both clubs moved to complete the permanent transfer.
His exit continues a major reshaping of Nuno’s squad during the closing stages of the summer window.
West Ham have also now completed the sale of Malick Diouf to Brentford, having previously given the defender permission to undergo his medical.
Those departures leave West Ham with further business to complete before Tuesday night’s transfer deadline.
