David Moyes wants to save David Sullivan millions at West Ham United with Jarrod Bowen update
David Moyes believes that Jarrod Bowen can save West Ham from a striker search by deputising at centre-forward for the rest of the season, according to Daily Mail.
The newspaper outlet reported [14 December, page 69] that Moyes wants to deploy the England international in the striker position, rather than keep him on the wing, saving the club a lot of money on a brand-new forward.
The Hammers have been without a 20-goals-a-season striker since Marlon Harewood during the 2004/05 Championship season, with Bowen coming the closest in 2021/22 with 18 goals in all competitions.
“It may be a bad example but [Cristiano] Ronaldo started as a winger and eventually evolved into a centre forward,” Moyes said.
“They’ve been assist-makers in the earlier part of their career and they start to want the goals. Jarrod can do both.”
Why look elsewhere?
While Bowen has proven himself a great goalscorer, leading the goal tally this season with 10 in all competitions, it comes across as a cop-out due to West Ham’s poor history in purchasing strikers.
It is easy to understand the fear the Hammers may possess due to many, many, many forwards not working out at the London Stadium but that should not stop the club from taking a step forward with the squad.
They have already been linked to many in-form strikers, such as Serhou Guirassy from VfB Stuttgart and Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke.
And while Bowen has impressed since his arrival from Hull City in 2020, scoring 50 goals in 177 appearances, it is a bit of a stretch to compare him to one of the best footballers to grace the sport.
It may be a short-term fix for this season, going into the market properly next summer.
The 26-year-old has already played at centre-forward seven times this season, bagging three goals and two assists, helping West Ham to overcome Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and Arsenal in the EFL Cup.
In other West Ham news, a journalist has made a “big” Moyes admission ahead of a sit-down with the Hammers hierarchy.