Jarrod Bowen transfer plea made at West Ham United after new updates. Frank McAvennie has pleaded with West Ham United head coach Julen Lopetegui not to sell Jarrod Bowen – and has predicted the England international to continue playing up front.
Bowen – a natural right winger – frequently featured as a central striker during the 2023/24 campaign when Michail Antonio was absent through injury, with Danny Ings not often trusted.
McAvennie – speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone – thinks Bowen will want to remain in that role, though he did also recommend the signing of an additional centre-forward.
“Get us a defence. I think the midfield’s not bad. And up front, get us a good striker,” he said.
“Or else, put Bowen up [front] and keep him up [front]. I did it, moving from midfield up front. Bowen’s a good striker – when he played up front, he scored a hell of a lot of goals. He was doing very well. It’s good to have somebody who can play both [up front and out wide] but when I moved up [front], I wanted to stay up [front], that was me. I enjoyed it. So I think Jarrod will be the same.
“It’s going to be all changed [under Lopetegui]. It’s not going to be a big lump up, I think we’re going to be playing it out, we’re going to be playing on the front foot, rather than the back foot, I would imagine.
“Antonio’s been great but we can’t rely on him to be fit all the time. You’ve got to keep Bowen, I don’t care what kind of money [is offered for him]. The boy loves West Ham, he’s just signed a five-year deal.
“I wouldn’t have imagined he would have signed a five-year deal to get more money from West Ham, I can’t see him doing that. He signed the deal so he can stay there, I think. He’s one of the ones I don’t want to move. But I would bring in a striker.”
Should Jarrod Bowen stay up front for West Ham United?
In 2023/24, Bowen played as a centre-forward on 22 occasions in all competitions, netting nine goals and adding four assists [Transfermarkt]. However, in his 20 appearances on the right wing, the England international scored 11 times, recording four assists.
West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen
Jarrod Bowen has scored some important goals for West Ham United this season. West Ham may be best served by signing a new striker and allowing Bowen to return to his more natural right-wing berth.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers are “back to square one” after their failed Fabricio Bruno move.
