Jarrod Bowen contract renewal essential after stat-topping start to West Ham United season
West Ham United must prioritise renewing Jarrod Bowen’s contract, with the Englishman’s Stratford stay set to end in two years.
Bowen has made an electric start to the Premier League season, topping West Ham’s stats in almost every significant attacking metric.
On the back of his history-making goal in the Europa Conference League final and his steadily improving form for the Hammers, the hierarchy must renew his contract as soon as possible before his stock rises even more.
Bowen signed a five-and-a-half-year deal from Hull City back in January 2020, meaning his contract will expire in the summer of 2025. While, admittedly, this is still a while away, a lot can happen in that time that could risk the Hammers losing their European hero.
The Daily Mail reported (8 June) that West Ham were considering a bumper contract for Bowen, doubling his wage to £120,000 per week. However, nothing has materialised since.
He earned a new contract and a wage increase with the Cup final goal alone, but his exceptional form so far in the Premier League season shows that he is ready to step his game up and be a consistent and prolific threat to the opposition.
In the league’s opening four games, Bowen is the Hammers best in goals scored (3), shots (13), shots per 90 (3.25), expected goals (2.3) and touches in the attacking penalty box (25), while he is joint-second in goal creating actions. [FBRef]
The stats prove that Bowen is the Hammers’ most dangerous attacker. While the small sample size would impact the stats and there are still 34 games of a season left to play, Bowen looks set to have a career-best season.
If he keeps up this rise in form, it won’t be long before some big clubs come sniffing. Still aged just 26, he has plenty of time to perform at the top level for a Top 6 club. He’d come with a wealth of European experience, which will continue this season in the Europa League.
Bowen is English, meaning he becomes more attractive to English clubs as he satisfies their home-grown quota. With two years remaining, teams could seek a cut-price deal in 12 months’ time when he has just a year remaining, and the allure of a big move may tempt Bowen.
A contract upgrade should be a priority for the West Ham United board, as they would hate to lose one of their modern-day heroes in such a manner.
In other West Ham news, Jesse Lingard has been offered to a fresh set of clubs after a Hammers move fell through.