Cobblers boss Wilder confirms interest in Southend defender Prosser

Cobblers boss Chris Wilder has had talks with Phil Brown about doing a deal for Southend defender Luke Prosser

Southend manager Phil Brown revealed on Thursday that Northampton had made a bid for the left-footed central defender, who has just signed a year-long contract extension at Roots Hall.

Wilder today admitted that Prosser is a player he has targeted to fill the void left by the departure of Lee Collins, and said: “Luke is a player we are interested in as he is a left-footed centre-half.

“I spoke to Phil (Brown), and he said he would keep me in the loop regarding what’s happened.

“The player has signed an extension (at Southend) and is one of a number of players that we are chasing.

“So I am going to agree with Phil, we have touched base and we have made an enquiry, but there is a long way to go before anything happens.

“As always, to sign a player there has to be three things that need to happen, from our point of view, from the player’s point of view, and the view of the club the player is at.

“All of those three things have got to fit into place and we will keep working on that.

“If it is not to be, then we will move on and hopefully fill that gap in time, but we need to be patient as we need to get the right one in.

“It’s not a head-turning bid that we have put in, we understand that.

“But I have a budget to work with, and we will use the budget as we can do accordingly.

“We are after players that fit the criteria that we are looking for.”

Wilder has beeen working hard to get the player in he wants fill the left-sided central defensive role, and Prosser would be ideal.

The player is in his prime having just turned 27, has played close to 200 senior games, and was part of the Southend team that won promotion from league two last season, although his appearances were limited in the second half of the campaign.

A regular for Southend before the turn of the year, he was sent-off in the final minute of the 1-1 draw against the Cobblers at Sixfields on January 3, and struggled to regain his place after that, making just seven appearances.

Prosser began his career at Port Vale, and in 2011 enjoyed a two-month loan spell in the county at Rushden & Diamonds.