West Ham United: Gabby Agbonlahor shares England Euro 2024 verdict on Jarrod Bowen
Gabby Agbonlahor believes West Ham star Jarrod Bowen has to be named in the England squad for the upcoming European Championships.
Speaking on talkSPORT on Thursday (28 March, 08:15am), the pundit said the Hammers winger would be the “easy option” for Gareth Southgate to leave out, but he suggested the 27-year-old should go ahead of Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon despite them both being “fantastic” this season.
He was impressed by how well Bowen performed off the bench in the Three Lions’ 1-0 defeat against Brazil and in the 2-2 draw with Belgium, where he started on the right-hand side of the attack at Wembley.
“One player we’ve not spoken about is Bowen because I think Bowen is the sort of easy option to leave out if you’re a manager,” said Agbonlahor. “But when he came on and what he did against Belgium, just getting the ball, running at people, didn’t care.
“In the Brazil game, he got past three or four players and then Guimaraes took him out. But just that confidence of, I’m playing for England, I’m going to run at people, he’s got to go. Bowen goes before Palmer for me.
“Gordon and Palmer, their time will come, but I feel like Southgate will phone them and say ‘you two have been fantastic this season, but sorry Cole Palmer, I’ve got Foden, Maddison and Bellingham, you’re not going to get in there over them, I don’t see you off the right side, I’ve got Bowen right and Saka’.
“I just don’t see Gordon and Palmer getting in, which is harsh, but Bowen has to be on that plane for me.”
West Ham star Jarrod Bowen deserves spot in England squad
There is no doubt that Bowen currently deserves a spot in the England squad on the back of his incredible form for West Ham this season.
It appears as though Southgate is a fan of the winger after he was handed a good run in the side during the latest international break, where he caught the eye with some of his trademark mazy runs.
While Gordon and Palmer do perhaps deserve a place on the plane as well, it feels like at least one of them is almost certain to miss out.
Given that Bowen has been slightly more involved with the Three Lions over the past couple of years, that could potentially give him the edge.
He will be looking to continue putting in strong performances for the Hammers over the next few weeks to give Southgate no option other than to take him to Germany as part of his 23-man squad.
In other West Ham news, David Sullivan has been blasted over his “ridiculous” comments in response to a Hammers controversy.
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