Southampton's James Ward-Prowse refuses to speculate on future

The 28 year old midfielder has been at St Mary’s his entire career, breaking the club record for most Premier League matches played and totalling 408 appearances in all competitions.

The England international hopeful scored 48 goals in 342 top-flight appearances including 17 directly from free-kicks, putting him just one behind his icon and record holder David Beckham.

However, Saints will play in the Championship next season having already confirmed their bottom-place finish in the Premier League – leaving his future open to speculation.

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Reports elsewhere have attributed clubs such as West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur with interest in the dead-ball specialist, but the academy graduate will not comment on his future.

He told BBC Radio Solent: “It would be unprofessional to be thinking too far ahead, I’ve just heard the news about Ruben (Selles, who will depart Saints next week) which is a decision by the club.

“We’re focussing on giving him the respect of our full working capacity to be ready for the weekend,” Ward-Prowse added.

“When you go through something like this with the relegation it’s a time for reflection for everybody whether you’re a player or a staff member.

“It’s all about questioning what you have done this year to make sure you’ve done enough to reach the target or the foal and ultimately we’ve not done that well enough across the board.

“Then you think about the future and what that looks like and I think it’s in the back of everybody’s mind moving forward, not just players but staff as well, it’s a big change at the club.”

Ward-Prowse admitted: “I’ve been here a long, long time and when you walk around the training ground and look back at the memories you have as an eight-year-old it’s sad to see the way it is now.

“But that is football and that is life, whatever happens, I am sure this club has everything it needs to be back in the Premier League.

“Not just because of the speculation but because of the manner in which we’ve been relegated, I don’t think we have grasped the idea of that battle and that has been disappointing.”

Perhaps offering a hint to the midfielder’s ambition, Ward-Prowse claimed the seasons playing in Europa League under Ronald Koeman and Claude Puel as his favourites at the club.

“Playing a big role in the recent seasons has been lovely but I think the seasons we were in Europe, the European football was fantastic – it’s an amazing level to be playing at and one I’ll miss,” he said.

Saints fans hope to see Ward-Prowse net at least one, but ideally, two free-kicks in the season's final game, when Alisson stands in the Liverpool goal at St Mary’s on Sunday.

One will level with Beckham’s record while a second would take him to the top of the charts since the formation of the Premier League – but crucially done in a Saints shirt.

Ward-Prowse said: “I would love to do it this weekend, I’ll get some practice in to make sure I’m ready. Of course, I would love to do that before the end of the season.”