Jarrod Bowen's next move is blindingly obvious amid £100m West Ham exit talk

Thirty-five minutes. A little more than an episode of Eastenders. That is all Jarrod Bowen was handed at Euro 2024. While England toiled and trundled through large swathes of their charmed run to Sunday’s final, the West Ham winger largely had to make do with a watching brief, twiddling his thumbs in frustration, probably thinking that he would have been just as well off sat in his own front room, sandwiched on the couch between Dani Dyer and Danny Dyer.

Of course, Bowen was never truly expected to play a starring role in Germany. One of the occupational hazards of being an Englishman who operates predominantly out on the right flank is jostling for attention with Bukayo Saka. But as the Three Lions slogged their way through round after round, he must have wondered, on some level, what more he had to do to be given a chance to shine.

Maybe, some might argue, he would be looked upon more kindly if he were employed by a club in the very upper reaches of the Premier League, rather than one who only just finished in the top half last season. Perhaps if he proved that he can cut it in the Champions League on a weekly, or bi-weekly, basis, Gareth Southgate might be that the lad from Leominster is worthy of more than the occasional cameo outing.

To that end, Bowen would not be short of illustrious suitors. Barely a transfer window goes by where he is not linked with Liverpool, for instance, while more recent reports suggest that Newcastle United, intent on world domination as they are, have taken a liking to him too.

But West Ham are reluctant to sell. Understandably. According to various sources, the Hammers have slapped a whopping £100 million price tag on the 27-year-old, and credit where credit is due, their eye-watering valuation looks to have done the trick. Already, the Magpies are said to have moved on to other, more affordable targets, and it is hard to envisage anybody coughing up a nine-figure fee for Bowen - as good as he is.

What’s more, there is no pressure for the Irons to sell. The attacker is under contract at the London Stadium until 2030, and West Ham are not in the kind of dire financial straits that have forced many of their Premier League rivals into high profile sacrifices of late.

And all of this should prove to be a good thing, not just for the club, but for Bowen himself too. He is adored and thriving in East London, and while the lure of a big money move may be tempting, the reality is that the grass isn’t always greener. Why uproot himself from a side in which he averaged almost a goal every other game in the Premier League last season to either settle for a lesser role at Anfield or a relatively sideways move to St. James’ Park?

With Julen Lopetegui at the helm and a decent amount of ambition being shown in the transfer window, West Ham have every chance of being back in amongst the European qualification hunt next term, and arguably represent one of the most exciting projects in the top flight at the present moment in time. Bowen would be well-advised to stay exactly where he is.