Southampton turn down “derisory” £25m transfer bid from Aston Villa for James Ward-Prowse

Southampton have reportedly turned down a £25million transfer bid from Premier League rivals Aston Villa for captain James Ward-Prowse.

The England international, a talisman for Saints over the last two seasons, only signed a five-year contract with Southampton last summer.

According to The Athletic, Southampton have no intentions of selling Ward-Prowse this summer and described their low-ball transfer bid as “derisory and not even considered by the south coast club”.

The 26-year-old was one of Southampton’s few players that shone last season as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side managed to just about stay above the Premier League relegation zone by the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

Ward-Prowse scored eight goals - many of them spectacular free-kicks - in a season where he played every minute of Premier League football with Southampton like he did the year previous.

Two of those aforementioned free-kick goals came against Aston Villa last season in Southampton’s 4-3 victory at Villa Park last November.