James Ward-Prowse has become undroppable at Southampton in recent seasons and his impressive performances under Ralph Hasenhuttl have seen his market value rise to its highest-ever point.

The 26-year-old has enjoyed an impressive campaign in the Premier League which has seen him contribute seven goals and five assists in 29 top-flight appearances, helping him earn an impressive 7.10 average rating.

This is enough to see him ranked as Southampton's best performer in the Premier League so far this season, which emphasises just how important he is in Hasenhuttl's side.

Only Jan Bednarek and Ward-Prowse have appeared in every top-flight fixture this season, with the Englishman one constant in a Saints midfield which has been chopped and changed throughout the season, as a result of the various injury issues with which Hasenhuttl has had to contend.

The Saints captain is a product of the youth academy and has slowly seen his market value on Transfermarkt rise in recent seasons as a result of impressive performances, but his time under Hasenhuttl in particular has really seen his value shoot up.

When the Austrian was appointed in December 2018, Ward-Prowse's market value moved down to just £13.5m, but in the two-and-a-half years since, it has reached a new high of £25.2m.

The 26-year-old's call-up to the England squad will undoubtedly have helped with this but you must credit both Ward-Prowse and Hasenhuttl for the way he has improved in the last couple of seasons.

The one worry for Southampton will now be whether they can keep hold of their captain moving forwards, as this has been one of his best seasons in the Premier League, with his set pieces in particular earning him a lot of plaudits.

Tottenham Hotspur has been touted as a potential option for the 26-year-old in the future, with Glenn Hoddle suggesting he could replace Christian Eriksen at the north London club, so perhaps we will see some interest in the midfielder in the summer.

Considering his value is at an all-time high, Southampton vice-chairman Martin Semmens may well be licking his lips at the prospect of cashing in on Ward-Prowse for a hefty fee in the summer.

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