Gary Neville insists Southampton star James Ward-Prowse could make the England World Cup squad

Gary Neville says James Ward-Prowse has improved so much under Ralph Hasenhuttl that he could possibly make the England World Cup squad and earn a move to a bigger club. 

The 27-year-old has been an influential figure for Southampton for many years but is beginning to shine so much he is attracting interest from big clubs.

The former Red Devils full-back and England international feels the midfielder showed his class once again in the Saints 2-0 win over Norwich City in the Premier League on Friday evening. 

The 27-year-old is showing maturity and composure in his game which is attracting interest from a number of big clubs

‘I have to say watching him as a young England under-21 player when i was working with Roy, we were thinking about bringing him up, and at that time he was the right side of a midfield four or in a middle three,’ Neville told Sky Sports.

‘You think of him being one of those three that would run forward, if you said to me that he would be playing in a midfield two, balancing off another central midfield player i would have said i don’t see that.

‘Seeing him as he played tonight, with maturity and composure, dropping into that false full-back position when the full-backs go forward and he is the one that is dictating the play.

Neville (pictured) also revealed that when he was involved in the England set-up they had an eye on Ward-Prowse

‘His understanding of the game is improving, his maturity, and he is getting to that point whereby he is a player and i’m trying to think of another whose career has just gradually got better and better all the way through.

‘By the end of his career he’ll be a really top player, he’s a top player now at Southampton, but he been able to build a real bank of games and develop his game without the big spotlight in terms of a big club.

‘I can see it coming for him, I know Southampton fans won’t want to hear that, but there has been a lot of talk in the last few months hasn’t there about him moving on and taking that next step.’

Ward-Prowse will be competing with the likes of Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips, Jordan Henderson and many other midfielders including some attack minded players such as Mason Mount for a spot on the plane to Qatar. 

‘Getting in the England squad and you can see his performance tonight is a completely different level than where he was at four to five years ago.

‘He had the quality, but never really understood what his position was, is he a wide in a midfield four or is he a midfield three player.

‘England i don’t think is blessed in central midfield anyway, so i think he has got a big chance of going to a World Cup with England at the end of the year.’