There are certain players that appear to be connected with Premier League moves forever before finally making the step up. Jarrod Bowen is one of those.
The Hammers’ business in the last few years has not tended to be particularly smart or effective. That means you would be forgiven for believing that a comparatively late, out-the-blue offer for Bowen could have the potential to backfire. On the face of it, however, this looks like a deal that could buck that trend.
Despite spending a club-record £45million on Sebástien Haller in the summer, West Ham have struggled for goals. Haller has only six since moving from Eintracht Frankfurt. Bowen should correct that. The 23-year-old has scored 54 in the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Tigers. We’ll thank you, he’s a winger.
This year the former Hereford United kid has already found the back of the net 16 times against the anticipated goals (xG) total of 12.99. Just two Championship players (Aleksandar Mitrović and Ollie Watkins) can top that figure. They are both centre-forwards.
Predominantly left-footed, Bowen can score all kinds of goals. He is no stranger to Arjen Robben’s trademark cut in from the right and lash home, but he’s also got long rangers, poacher’s attempts and headers in his locker to boot. He has the goalscoring knack of a centre-forward but the pace and trickery of a traditional winger to boot.
His 1.75 completed dribbles (per 90) rank him 13th among Championship forwards while he is sixth for completed crosses with an impressive return of 1.1 (per 90), confirm there is an end product to his trickery. Seven assists and ten significant Chances created only underline that.
Although they have spent large beefing up their attack in recent seasons, just last summer they splashed £24million Pablo Fornals, adding to Andriy Yarmolenko, Michail Antonio, Robert Snodgrass, and Manuel Lanzini, one thing David Moyes is lacking in his attacking arsenal at pace.
Bowen will bring plenty of that with him to the London Stadium too. With 0.44 fast breaks (per 90), the tricky forward ranks second in the Championship.
After such a long wait for his big move, this deal has happened quickly, but good things come to those who wait.
