The news over the last few days was that Saints were willing to let James Ward Prowse leave for £50 million and the news is that he has put pen to paper.... on a new 5 year contract with Southampton FC.

There were many over the past few weeks who were criticising the club and it's owner Jisheng Gao branding them willing to take any offer on the table for Saints best players, Gao especially has received a lot of stick for not investing multi millions in transfer fees.

A lack of ambition was levelled as both him and the club in whom he owns 80% and a proportion of the fan base seemed to be just waiting for the news that after the sale of Danny Ings it would only be a matter of time before Ward Prowse joined him at Aston Villa and then the doom & gloom merchants could truly let rip.

But Gao didn't syphon off the Ings money and now it seems that he wasn't interested in recouping a large chunk of his £200 million investment by selling James Ward Prowse, in fact quite the opposite, he has sanctioned a new 5 year deal for the club Captain which will likely make him the highest paid player at the club.

It hasn't always been a smooth ride for JWP since making his Premier League debut back in August 2012, but he has never given up and learned his trade and after the arrival of Ralph Hasenhuttl, suddenly started to show the form that his talent had been promised but had never quite reached under the some previous managers.

Ward Prowse had this to say on the club's official website to announce the news.

“I’m over the moon. I think I’m probably the happiest man in the world right now. To come to this decision, I think has been massive and is a big step forward.

“To commit my future again to this football club is something I’m incredibly proud of and a new chapter begins now for me.

“It’s probably the first time in my career that I’ve had that link away and that talk, but I think I was very keen to sit down and talk to the club and it’s worked both ways; they’ve sat down and told me their admiration for me and the way they want me to lead the team — and this club has done so much for me, I can’t put into the words the opportunities and chances that they’ve given me and I’m incredibly grateful for the club for doing that.

“I’m not finished yet here, I still have a lot left to give to this football club and I want to be there leading this team and ensuring I can give everything back and repay that faith the club have shown in me since I was eight-years-old.”

In these days of mercenary players who put chase money and not success it is great to see a little faith restored.

Perhaps this now can be the catalyst for Saints fans to get behind the club going forward, to realise that we have had some tough times in what has also been a tough time in the World, but it has shown some ambition and after getting certain players off the books this summer who had barely played for the club over the past couple of years, we can now start to move forward again.

We are not out of the woods yet, but surely we can show some faith in our club now and those who have suggested that we are finished can now see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Danny Ings leaving hurt, in truth not because he had left, but because he had not left for that higher level of bigger challenge, but because he had left for a club who although bigger in stature than Saints were still nearer our level than that of the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea & United, today James Ward Prowse showed that some players care more about loyalty and prize that and integrity above financial gain.

Ralph Hasenhuttl said recently player do not want to be club legends anymore, well here is one that is and does.

Photo: Action Images

Saintsforeverj added 19:14 - Aug 19 He is a legend already. Love the guy.
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HythePeer added 19:19 - Aug 19 🤦🏻‍♂️
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felly1 added 19:53 - Aug 19 Great news, let's see a couple more players come in and hopefully give us a fighting chance in what could well be a tough season ahead.
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Bawdrip added 19:56 - Aug 19 Brilliant news. He is a legend. So pleased he's committed to staying.
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saintpete01 added 20:27 - Aug 19 Heat and soul Red and White
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saintpete01 added 20:30 - Aug 19 Hart and Soul Red and White
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mattlegod added 21:07 - Aug 19 Fantastic news.. there is still loyalty and humbleness in the game - “I want to be there leading this team and ensuring I can give everything back and repay that faith the club have shown in me since I was eight years old.” So so good to hear that, has restored my faith in the game
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underweststand added 21:11 - Aug 19 Best signing of this window......
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JoeEgg added 21:18 - Aug 19 Well done JWP - now perhaps we can attract that Central Defender who will give us half a chance of seeing the best of players like Prowsey.
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landsdownsaint added 21:20 - Aug 19 Absolutely made up! he seems a very level headed guy
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sidsaint added 21:21 - Aug 19 Has always been red and white through and through. Hope he sets a trend.
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NYC_Saint added 21:37 - Aug 19 I hope this is reflective of the club explaining to JWP their further transfer targets this summer and ambitions thereafter. I could also read into it that we're actually a lot closer to fresh investment than the forum let on and this was able to persuade him to extend his contract further. Unfortunately it could also be his agent hearing the comments at the forum and holding Saints' feet to fire in light of Villa interest. Knowing Saints would lose future transfer credibility if they accepted an offer for JWP having said the diametrical opposite a few days earlier was probably music to any agent's ears. I'm a half full type so I hope this bodes well for the remainder of the window and potentially future investment also. I must say though the radio silence on a new Center Half concerns me (as does reports agreements are in place to extend McCarthy and Stephens' contracts).

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SaintPaulVW added 11:20 - Aug 20 Good news in the short term and well deserved.
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