West Ham captain Bowen to stay despite relegation

West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen has pledged to stay with the club, despite their recent relegation from the Premier League.

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There’s a lot of thinking time over the summer and a lot of things that go on in your head. For me I look in years and years to come of when I retire, what’s going to bring me the most happiness? It was a no-brainer. The main motivation is staying and bringing this club back into the Premier League where we belong.

Bowen, a 29-year-old England forward, spent the summer contemplating his future after West Ham's drop into the Championship. He has now committed to remaining with the club, aiming to lead them back to the Premier League.

"There’s a lot of thinking time over the summer and a lot of things that go on in your head," Bowen said. "For me I look in years and years to come of when I retire, what’s going to bring me the most happiness? It was a no-brainer. The main motivation is staying and bringing this club back into the Premier League where we belong."

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The ambition I got from them, certainly in terms of the direction that the club wants to move in, interested me a lot.

Bowen recently met with West Ham's majority shareholder, Daniel Kretinsky, in Prague to discuss the club's aspirations for an immediate return to the top flight. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has also remained with the club following their 14-year tenure in the Premier League.

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It didn’t take a lot because this club means a lot to me. I’ve been here six and a half years and transitioned a boy really from the Championship to the captain of the club, which is a huge honour.

"The ambition I got from them, certainly in terms of the direction that the club wants to move in, interested me a lot," Bowen added. Since joining West Ham from Hull in 2020, Bowen has scored 85 goals in 280 appearances. He expressed his deep connection to the club, having transitioned from a Championship player to captain over his six-and-a-half years there. He also noted the significant support from the club's 50,000 season ticket holders, highlighting their loyalty and desire to see West Ham back in the Premier League.

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50,000 season ticket holders in the Championship is some feat. It goes to show you that loyalty and love they have for the club, and they want to see it back in the Premier League.