Eddie Howe is behind Newcastle sizing up a move for a West Ham forward whose statistics this season suggest he’d be a gamble signing, per a report.
West Ham and Newcastle have trended in completely opposite directions this season. The Hammers are scrapping for their Premier League survival and a 5-1 thumping at the hands of Newcastle last night leaves them outside of the drop zone on goal difference alone.
The Magpies, meanwhile, sit third and hold a game in hand over fifth-placed Tottenham. Four wins in a row have once again sparked hope Newcastle will be in the Champions League next season.
But while the Hammers and Newcastle have diverged in the table, a report from talkSPORT claims they could converge in the transfer market.
That’s because Newcastle are prepared to go back in for Jarrow Bowen three years after initially trying to sign him.
Steve Bruce was the man in charge back in 2020 when Newcastle tried to land Bowen who was them on Hull City’s books.
However, Newcastle – under previous owner Mike Ashley – failed to match West Ham’s bid of £18m and a move to London therefore awaited.
talkSPORT report current Newcastle boss, Eddie Howe, is a ‘long-term admirer’ of Bowen. As such, he’s understood to be the driving force behind Newcastle aiming to complete their unfinished business with the player.
The report adds Bowen will ‘almost certainly leave’ West Ham if they suffer relegation. In the event they survive, Newcastle will have to make an offer too good to refuse given West Ham are likely to sell Declan Rice in the same window.
A price tag isn’t speculated at, though it stands to reason Bowen will cost at least double the £18m paid to sign him in 2020. Bowen has become an England international in the subsequent years and was the West Ham Players’ Player of the Year last season.
Bowen bagged an incredible 18 goals and 13 assists from the right wing last term. Many expected Bowen to kick on this year or at the very least go close to matching those numbers.
It’s been a different story, however, with Bowen scoring 10 and assisting just four so far this season.
He’s far from alone in struggling in a West Ham shirt this year. However, the 26-year-old’s dip in form would suggest any big-money move would not be without its risks.
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