da prosport bet： Aston Villa owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris are set to back a move for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Villa haven’t wasted any time this summer

da betcris： Villa have already brought in Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City in a club-record deal, and it now appears as if their next big-money move could be one for Ward-Prowse.

Another man who is set for talks with Villa is Ashley Young, whereas the club were reportedly in discussions with striker Josh King earlier this month.

The Latest: Ward-Prowse update

A Villa source informed Football Insider that both Edens and Sawiris are keen for a deal to be completed in time for the midfielder to be at the club’s Bodymoor Heath training ground for the start of pre-season.

Dean Smith’s side are set to return for pre-season on July 5, which is in 19 days time. The Villa hierarchy want the central midfielder through the door by then to bed the free-kick specialist into Smith’s system.

A move for Ward-Prowse will take a huge fee, the report adds, and a push for a deal to be wrapped up as soon as possible was aided following his omission from England’s European Championship squad this summer.

The Verdict: A major coup if a deal goes through

Should Villa seal a deal for Ward-Prowse, it would only add to their ambition to establish themselves as an elite Premier League side.

Villa fans found out first hand how effective the 26-year-old can be last season when he scored twice and registered an assist in a 4-3 win for the Saints at Villa Park.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

He appears to be in the prime of his career and has also racked up 269 appearances in the Premier League, and a move for the Saints captain may also help persuade Jack Grealish to remain at the club beyond the summer, amid links to Manchester City.

In other news: Many AVFC fans react to Grealish latest, find out more here.