West Ham captain Bowen to stay at club

What the report says

Nile Post, citing BBC Sport, reports that West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen will remain with the club as it prepares for a season in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the campaign. The report says the 29-year-old England forward had been linked with a possible return to the top flight, but has committed to staying for the 2026-27 season.

Bowen joined West Ham from Hull City in 2020 and has since made 280 appearances, scoring 85 goals. He became captain in 2024 after Kurt Zouma’s departure and remains one of the club’s central attacking players. Last season, he started every Premier League match and scored nine goals. He is also remembered for scoring the late winner against Fiorentina in the 2023 UEFA Conference League final in Prague, which gave West Ham their first major trophy in 43 years.

According to the report, Bowen has not signed a new contract extension; his current deal runs until 2030. He said in comments to West Ham’s website that his motivation is to help return the club to the Premier League, and that discussions with club directors Daniel Kretinsky and Jiri Svarc reassured him about the club’s ambitions.

The decision is a significant boost for head coach Nuno Espirito Santo as West Ham begin pre-season planning. The club are due to play Portsmouth in the Carabao Cup before opening their Championship campaign away to Burnley, another relegated side, on August 16.