Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish has heaped praise on West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen following his fifth goal of the season against West Brom on Tuesday night.
Bowen, who has recently enjoyed a ‘sizeable’ wage increase according to David Ornstein of The Athletic, has been a revelation since his £22m transfer from Hull City just under a year ago.
Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish said that the winger had ‘class written all over him’ as he praised the 24-year-old’s impact on the Hammers, saying:
He just looks a different class on the field of play. Again, another great piece of recruitment. They plucked him from the Championship and I know he wasn’t cheap, he wasn’t cheap, the best players rarely are and he’s stepped up.
It’s sometimes a bridge too far for some players but you see Bowen, he’s got class – even watching him with Hull City in the past, class written all over him, it’s been no surprise to me to see how well he’s done in the Premier League.
Tuesday night’s chested finish was Bowen’s 13th direct goal involvement in 33 Hammers appearances.
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Paying £22m for a player with relatively little top-flight experience looked a risk at the time, but as it stands it’s paying off by the bucket load. Not only has Bowen been pivotal in front of goal, but his undeterred work rate has encapsulated the spirit within David Moyes’ squad.
By comparison, Andriy Yarmolenko – who occasionally deputises for the former Hull winger – possess plenty of quality but his endeavour can’t match that of Bowen, often to the detriment of the team.
Therefore, it’s easy to see why McLeish has been so gushing in his praise of the Englishman.
