West Ham United's magical continental campaign, which culminated in Europa Conference League success last week, clouded what was a disappointing domestic season.

David Moyes was under huge pressure at one point with West Ham at serious risk of dropping out of the Premier League, but they ultimately finished six points above the relegation zone.

With a third successive season of European football to factor in next season – this time back in the Europa League – West Ham will know the importance of strengthening their squad to ensure they are not dragged into another relegation scrap.

With Declan Rice confirmed to be moving on if the right offer is tabled, just a year on from the retirement of Mark Noble – the man he succeeded as captain – the Hammers could equally do with finding a midfield general this summer.

In Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse, West Ham can tick both of those boxes with one fell swoop, even if the Saints are reportedly demanding £40m for their prized asset. That said, the Irons do currently lead the race for any potential signature.

Is Southampton's James Ward-Prowse a good fit for West Ham?

Despite Ward-Prowse's best efforts last season, it was not enough to keep Southampton in the Premier League, meaning the Saints will be plying their trade in the Championship in 2023-24.

With three years to run on his contract, the ball still remains in Southampton's court, even if they could do with bringing in some funds through the sale of long-serving Ward-Prowse.

West Ham may well be tempted to splash out a fairly sizable sum for a second-tier player, especially given his ability to lead a team – something United will lack if Rice gets his big-money move away in the coming weeks.

As pointed out by Southampton team-mate Kyle Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse is a "leader" and someone who is not afraid to bark out instructions to others.

More than that, though, Ward-Prowse can provide goals and creativity from midfield – and that is not to mention his deadly ability from set pieces.

Indeed, that is an area West Ham struggled last season following the retirement of club legend Noble. In his final season at the London Stadium, Noble ranked highest for the number of passes played from free-kicks per 90 minutes for West Ham by an outfield player (2.70), as per FBref.

Noble was also assured on the ball, as reflected by his team-high 70.8 completed passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. To put that in some perspective, Manuel Lanzini ranked highest for West Ham this past campaign in that same metric with a lowly 52.1.

In fact, Rice was the only other Hammer to manage over 50 passes per 90 minutes on average in the top flight (50.7), making that an area Moyes' side desperately need to improve.

Ward-Prowse has an eye for a pass, particularly from set-pieces, averaging 3.95 per 90 minutes from free-kicks last season, compared to 1.64 for Nayef Aguerd – West Ham's highest-ranked regular outfielder.

The 11-cap England international's ability from set plays is not just restricted to passes, either, with his 17 goals direct from free-kicks just one off equalling David Beckham (18) for the all-time Premier League record.

Ward-Prowse's consistent ability to beat goalkeepers from range has been described as "ridiculous" by Independent writer Benjy Nurick, with Beckham's record surely likely to fall should the midfielder remain in the Premier League.

If that was not enough, Ward-Prowse is also reliable from penalties, scoring 17 of them so far in senior competitions. With 40 successful spot-kicks to his name during his time at West Ham, the efficiency showed by Noble from 12 yards is just one more aspect Ward-Prowse can match.

For while he may not be the big-name signing some are hoping for in the summer if Rice departs, Ward-Prowse can be the man to not only fill that void but also the one left by Noble 12 months prior.