Everton manager David Moyes's reported pursuit of Jarrod Bowen could bring a talent to the Blues not witnessed for three decades, according to the Liverpool Echo. Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, states that Moyes is ready to push a £20 million bid for the West Ham United captain, making the England international his first-choice target after the Irons' relegation from the Premier League.
Moyes and Bowen: A Reunion in the Making
Bowen is a big admirer of Moyes, who gave him his big break in the top flight when he brought him to the London Stadium from Hull City for £22 million in January 2020. Writing in his programme notes before West Ham's home game with Everton in April, Bowen said: “We all know how good a manager David Moyes is, and how good Alan Irvine and Billy McKinlay are as his assistants, and he gets the best out of his players. I’m certainly not surprised they’ve done so well.”
The Leominster-born star, who like Everton's greatest wide men Kevin Sheedy started his career at Hereford United, netted the winning goal for the Hammers against Fiorentina in the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final. That secured the first major trophy of Moyes's managerial career and ended the club's 43-year silverware drought.
Financial Hurdles and Competition
As much as West Ham are under pressure to sell after going down, it feels like Everton are going to have to offer considerably more to secure his signature. Even then, there is likely to be intense competition for a player of his talents, possibly from teams able to offer the lure of European football. The fear is that without significant backing from The Friedkin Group, who have been keeping a much lower profile than their approach with Roma, West Ham's star man could end up being a ‘look what you could have won.’
Proven Premier League Performer
Bowen might not have made it into Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions squad for the current World Cup, but the 22-times-capped player is a proven performer. In his five full seasons at West Ham, he hit double figures each time with all-competition goal returns of 18, 13, 20, 14, and 11. Cutting inside from the right flank and firing in shots with his left foot, he is reminiscent of the Goodison Park flier who was an inverted winger before the term entered common parlance: Andrei Kanchelskis.
Comparison to Everton Legend
Kanchelskis was snapped up from Manchester United for a then-club-record £5 million fee. The Russian international enjoyed one of the most spectacular debut seasons of any Blues star in the modern era, as his 16 goals helped Joe Royle's side finish sixth, Everton's highest position of the Premier League's first decade. Curiously, the summer of 1995 when Kanchelskis headed down the East Lancs Road was also a pivotal moment for another J Bowen, as the original run of Bullseye came to an end with Jim Bowen as host.
Namesake Jarrod would hardly be a ‘gamble’ for the Blues, but the fear remains that without adequate backing, the deal may slip away.
