West Ham have made a promising move by reportedly attempting to “hijack” Crystal Palace’s swoop for Jarrod Bowen.
The Sun reports that the Irons are looking to beat the Eagles – and Newcastle – to the Championship sensation after David Moyes opened talks with Hull City.
Across 32 games in all competitions, the 23-year-old, who primarily plays on the right but can also play through the middle, has scored 17 goals.
Who on earth is that?!?! Can you name all of these obscure January signings?
Moyes is reportedly willing to part with £12m plus a further £5m in add-ons and this is a solid step forward from the club if true.
Of course, a £17m outlay is not to be sniffed at but in the current market, it feels like a snip for a player who is not only in electric form but who is also young and English, with a potentially high ceiling.
In the summer, they overpaid for Sebastian Haller, spending £45m on a striker who has rewarded them with just six Premier League goals, and splashing £24m on Pablo Fornals, who has one goal and three assists to his name.
They were meant to be big-name signings but they have not worked out. The summer prior, West Ham were again blinded by big names, securing both Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko from Lazio and Dortmund respectively – the pair have contributed to nine Premier League goals this season but have yet to really set the world alight at the London Stadium.
Now, though, it appears that West Ham are looking for young, English talent that will need to work hard and up their game to make the grade at the club, rather than coming in with big reputations and the expectation of being a focal point of the team.
In terms of resale value, it makes sense too. English players always come with a premium and due to Bowen’s age, it’s likely West Ham will be able to recoup most of their investment if things don’t work out.
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If they can beat Palace to the punch, this will be a significant signing for the Hammers, and a sign of shrewder recruitment going forward.
Meanwhile, a journalist has issued an update on West Ham’s interest in a former Premier League star.