- Former West Ham United player Glen Johnson has pleaded for Jarrod Bowen to stay
- The Hammers are 18th in the Premier League
- Bowen was made club captain in 2024
In the midst of mounting transfer rumours, former West Ham United player Glen Johnson has pleaded for Jarrod Bowen to stay at the Hammers, arguing that the England international’s professional and personal connections to East London might be crucial.
West Ham are 18th in the Premier League, with the prospect of relegation looming should they suffer defeat against Arsenal on Sunday. West Ham haven’t played in the second tier since 2011, but with three matches remaining and relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur gaining significant momentum, their Premier League status is dwindling.
The current relegation struggle at West Ham has only heightened speculation about the futures of numerous players, including club captain Bowen. Regardless of the campaign’s outcome, there’s a growing expectation that many in the squad could be playing their football elsewhere when domestic games return in August.
Jarrod Bowen can cement legend status with West Ham stay, says Glen Johnson
Speaking in association with BetMGM, Johnson told GOAL that although Bowen may have options to leave, his current circumstances make a move inconceivable, especially considering his close links to the team and his off-field family life.
“I think so, yeah. He’s had links to other clubs, potentially bigger clubs and stuff like that, and this has never happened. For whatever reason, he didn’t want it or the club didn’t want it enough. So I think he’s got a chance to stay there, become a club legend.”
Johnson graduated from West Ham’s academy in the 2002-03 season, before leaving for Chelsea following the former’s relegation that season. The full-back, who played for Liverpool and made 54 appearances with England before retiring in 2018, stated that Bowen’s relationship with his wife Dani and famous Hammers’ fan father-in-law, Danny Dyer, could play a part in the forward’s stay.
“They’re a big West Ham family [the Dyers], which is obviously lovely. So for the sake of leaving for potentially the worst two or three years of your career somewhere else and lose that, to me, I’d rather stay.”
Bowen’s record at West Ham
In January 2020, Bowen joined West Ham for a fee of around £22 million from Hull City. Since then, he has established himself as a consistent supplier of goals and assists, scoring 84 goals in 277 games across all competitions.
Shortly after announcing his engagement to former Love Island participant Dani in the summer of 2024, the captain’s armband was given to him following the departure of Kurt Zouma.
From a football standpoint, Bowen remains essential to West Ham’s chances of survival. In a season where consistency has been difficult to find elsewhere in the squad, his verticality, production, and ability to produce at crucial moments have made him vital.
If the Hammers are to get out of the relegation zone, Bowen may have to come through in the clutch one more time. Arsenal, against whom he has five goals and two assists, would be the ideal chance.
