JAMES Ward-Prowse is on his way to becoming the “full package”, according to Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The midfielder has been thriving under the Austrian’s management and has played in every game this season.

And Hasenhuttl highlighted Ward-Prowse’s new-found physical prowess as the reason for his transformation.

Saints’ manager explained: “I think it was the biggest change in his game since I'm here.

“He was always a good player and had a fantastic right foot but never nobody saw him defending or winning balls like he does at the moment.

“This is maybe something he had to learn, and he had to show me, he did it.

“After a few weeks when I was here, I could see this transformation in his game was there and in the end, in modern football, every player has to have everything, also the strikers have to work against the ball, and the centre-backs or the full-backs must be a number 10 when they have the ball.

“This is in modern football necessary, you cannot have any weakness and Prowsey is on the way to getting a full package.”

As well as being tougher in the tackle, Ward-Prowse has also added a ruthless streak to his game.

This was again evident at Selhurst Park on Tuesday night, where he was able to torment their star man Wilfried Zaha.

It came a year after the midfielder got the winger sent off at St Mary’s, with Saints supporters at Palace singing, ‘He’s got Zaha in his pocket’.

Despite this, Hasenhuttl doesn’t think Ward-Prowse is a wind-up merchant.

“I don't think he's Mr Nasty. But I think we should be a team that is nasty,” he added.

“When we are acting like we did in the last time we are because we are so committed, attacking from all sides.

“It doesn't mean that you play foul, you are there, you don't give them time and space.

“In modern football it's about reducing giving the opponent time and space, so they cannot act together.

“There are a lot of fantastic individuals and also the best individual has no chance if you come from three sides and take them.

“This is what we do and Prowsey is a good example and he's always there when we need him to be.”

With Cedric injured and Yan Valery battling a viral infection, Hasenhuttl admitted Ward-Prowse could play at right-back against Tottenham this afternoon.

He added: “This is one option I have. Kevin Danso is another option I have, he just played against Huddersfield on this side and a few more times in the league.”