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 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.
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