Liverpool and Manchester City have reportedly been handed a blow in pursuit of Jarrod Bowen, who is negotiating a new deal with West Ham United.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Jarrod Bowen is discussing a new contract with West Ham United. The 25-year-old is a target for Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and Manchester City over a possible move in the summer transfer window.
Jarrod Bowen spent his formative years with two of English football’s smaller clubs in Hereford United and Hull City before graduating from Hull’s academy. The attacker burst onto the limelight during his spell with the Tigers’ first-team before earning a move to West Ham United in January 2020.
The 25-year-old made an immediate impact at the London Stadium in the second half of the 2019/20 season and has played a leading role in the Hammers’ ascent in the last two years. Bowen has enjoyed an excellent 2021/22 season, racking up 12 goals and 11 assists in 36 appearances in all competitions. The player’s exploits have not gone unnoticed, with Liverpool and Manchester City setting sights on him.
Liverpool had even been linked with Bowen in the January transfer window before signing Luis Diaz instead. The continued interest from the Reds is interesting but not entirely surprising, considering Mohamed Salah is in a contract standoff with the Reds.
At the same time, recent reports have claimed that Sadio Mane is open to joining Barcelona or Real Madrid. While Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota could be a part of the long-term attacking unit, signing Bowen will further elevate the levels of Liverpool’s offensive department. On the other hand, Manchester City might have a more specific need for a player like the West Ham forward.
Ferran Torres joined Barcelona in the January transfer window, while Riyad Mahrez is on the wrong side of 30. Manchester City will thus need to enter the market for a wide-attacker sooner or later, with Bowen a viable target. But Liverpool and Manchester City might have to set their sights elsewhere to bolster their attacks, with Bowen in talks with West Ham over a new deal.
While Bowen’s current contract runs until June 2025, West Ham will do well to tie the 25-year-old down to a more lucrative deal. Penning a new contract with West Ham will hardly be a surprising move from Bowen, considering the Hammers’ European ambitions under David Moyes.
