Signing midfielders has to be atop the West Ham United list of priorities this summer, but the club cannot afford a complete overhaul of the centre.
Consequently, the Hammers must keep some of the current crop while adding quality to upgrade that engine room.
West Ham ace James Ward-Prowse might have played his way to a stay at the London Stadium after a terrific performance in the win versus Grasshopper Club Zurich over the weekend.
Ward-Prowse has failed to live up to fan expectations since joining the club.
He left on loan last term, but could not break into the Nottingham Forest team and returned to East London in February.
With West Ham plotting a midfield rebuild, the 30-year-old was a candidate to exit the club, but his promising showing might have earned him a place in the team.
West Ham Zone gave him an 8/10 rating for his display and said: “Ward-Prowse looked sharp against Grasshoppers, pulling the strings from deep within the midfield while also making runs beyond the last line.”
Ward-Prowse, who earns £115,000 per week, also looked terrific towards the end of last season, delivering a noteworthy performance against Ipswich Town in the final game.
The Portsmouth-born star should play a key role for West Ham next season if manager Graham Potter utilises him correctly.
He said he wants to fight for his place. He is backing up the talk.
With the club unsure of the future of Lucas Paqueta and facing considerable competition in pursuit of Harvey Elliott and James McAtee, Ward-Prowse is a capable option in the engine room.
However, West Ham cannot afford to rest on their laurels in pursuit of excellence. The club must close a deal for one of Elliott or McAtee soon, while adding a holding midfielder.
As much as the Irons need a playmaker to open opposition defences, they also need steel in their notoriously brittle centre.
The lack of a top-class holding midfielder contributed to the poor defensive record last term.