West Ham legend questions club’s decision to sell 7-goal, 11-assist player

West Ham legend Kevin Nolan has expressed his surprise at the club’s decision to release midfielder James Ward-Prowse this summer.

Ward-Prowse, who joined the Hammers from Southampton in a £30million move last summer, impressed in his debut season with seven goals and 11 assists in 53 games in all competitions.

Despite his solid performances, Ward-Prowse fell out of favour under new manager Julen Lopetegui and was subsequently loaned out to Nottingham Forest for the remainder of the season, a move that left many, including Nolan, confused.

Nolan claimed in an interview with the Football Daily podcast that West Ham made a mistake by letting him leave.

He said:

“I have to admit I’m very surprised West Ham let him go. I understand Julen wants to get his own players, but James Ward-Prowse is one of those players who never does anything wrong.”

“He makes the right decision and just gets the game. His set pieces are phenomenal.”

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West Ham’s poor start to the season

West Ham were one of the busiest clubs in the Premier League during the summer transfer window, spending heavily to strengthen their squad.

Despite the influx of new signings, the Hammers have struggled in the early stages of the season, winning just one of their first four games. They suffered defeats to Aston Villa and Manchester City, and were held to a draw by Fulham in their most recent outing.

With the pressure mounting, manager Julen Lopetegui will be hoping for a big win in the upcoming match against Chelsea, but it promises to be a tough test for his team.