- West Ham defeated Leeds United 3-0 on Sunday
- Jarrod Bowen scored in the Premier League final-day clash
- The Hammers are relegated to the Championship for the first time since 2011
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen has refused to commit his future to the club following their relegation from the Premier League, but has insisted his immediate focus is on helping the Hammers return to the English top flight.
The 29-year-old spoke after West Ham’s 3-0 win over Leeds United on the last day of the season, which was rendered irrelevant by Tottenham Hotspur’s victory over Everton, which sent Nuno Espirito Santo’s side to the Championship for the first time since 2011.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, the England international declined to commit long-term but reaffirmed that he is still under contract in east London.
“I’m under contract at West Ham, and our vision is to get the club back in the Premier League,” Bowen said following relegation confirmation.
“There’s going to be rumours, there’s going to be talk, but ultimately, what I see is getting this club back in the Premier League.
“I’ve had some really good moments here. This is a really hard moment. You never know what the future holds, but I want to see this club back in the Premier League, and right now my vision is to get this club back in the Premier League.”
Final-day win not enough as Jarrod Bowen could headline exodus
As mentioned, Bowen avoided making any final assurances about his future, with both he and head coach Nuno being unwilling to completely commit to staying following relegation.
The forward comments come as West Ham are expected to lose many important players this summer due to the financial repercussions of relegation to the Championship. The 2023 Europa Conference League winner is largely considered the club’s most prized asset, and he has been linked with many leading Premier League clubs in recent weeks.
Bowen, who has strong emotional ties to the club given his relationship with the daughter of actor and West Ham superfan Danny Dyer, again displayed why his skill set is so coveted against Leeds on Sunday, with a goal and an assist that took him to 20 goal involvements – the fifth-most in the Premier League.
On Friday, Bowen was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad, with the Three Lions manager insinuating that his ‘situation’ as captain of the league’s 18th-best side contributed to his non-selection.
Given his age and ambition, it would be beyond belief to see the former Hull City man suiting up as a Championship player past the upcoming summer window, especially given the financial incentive he will pose for a club aiming to make £100 through player sales.
