Could Bowen join Liverpool? (imago Images)
According to James Pearce of The Athletic (Subscription Required), Liverpool have identified West Ham United forward, Jarrod Bowen, as a potential transfer target this summer. Reds manager Jurgen Klopp rates him highly and the club will monitor his progress even if they fail to get a deal across the line for him this summer.
Bowen joined West Ham in January 2020 from Hull City for a fee that could rise to £25m with add-ons. He is one of several names that Liverpool have on their shortlist, according to the report, and ‘fits’ the profile for Liverpool in terms of his age and versatility. Let us further analyze if the Reds are actually in need of a player like him this summer.
The Reds have already seen Taiwo Awoniyi depart to Union Berlin in a £6.5m deal. And the Nigerian striker may not be the only forward that leaves Liverpool this summer. According to The Athletic (Subscription Required), Harry Wilson is attracting interest from Fulham, Xherdan Shaqiri is on Lazio’s radar, and Divock Origi could also be sold by the Reds.
That could leave the Reds really short of options upfront. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino have been the club’s main men in a front-three for a number of seasons now. Diogo Jota was signed last year in order to increase competition, but the Portuguese forward can only cover so many positions at once.
In light of that, Jurgen Klopp should understand the need to sign more players in the attacking department. The front four, including Jota, can use competition for starts. More importantly, the quartet would need backup when Klopp wants to rotate his squad over the course of this season. Young winger Harvey Elliott can be given some minutes.
But at 18, it is unrealistic to expect the former Fulham man to shoulder such a big burden already. Jota can provide good backup to the front three, but Klopp has already shown last season that he is willing to use a front four of Salah, Mane, Firmino, and Jota when all four of them are fit. In such an instance, the need for depth upfront increases.
Moreover, the club needs to start thinking about the future. A number of Liverpool players, including the aforementioned trifecta of Salah, Mane, and Firmino, will see their current deal expire in the summer of 2023. If they don’t renew their deals, the Reds would have to look for replacements. And that is where Jarrod Bowen can be helpful.
Signing the 24-year-old Englishman can help the German manager future-proof his attack. Bowen, who played all Premier League games for the Hammers last season, can play as a winger as well as a centre-forward. Apart from his versatility, his age ensures that he has several years ahead of him to improve even further and potentially become a starter at Anfield.
But that is, of course, dependant on if Klopp and co formalize their interest in the former Hereford United man. Bowen still has 4 years left on his current deal at the London Stadium, which means the Hammers may not be under any pressure to sell a player they just signed last year. But if Michael Edwards sees an opening here, steps should be taken to explore a possible deal for Bowen.
