Jarrod Bowen: West Ham forward knocking on door of England squad

Jarrod Bowen has scored 12 goals and provided nine assists this season

West Ham enjoyed an impressive season under David Moyes last term and have continued to progress once more.

Skipper Declan Rice may take a lot of the plaudits but their strides forward have been helped significantly by the sublime form of frontman Jarrod Bowen.

In a similar way to team-mate Michail Antonio, Bowen's journey has taken him from the struggles of non-league football to soaring in the Premier League.

"You need people to stand up and Jarrod has been the one standing up and getting goals," manager Moyes recently said.

"His performance levels improve every time, he is maturing and looking really calm at the moment."

'Finishing reminiscent of Robbie Fowler'

West Ham missed out on a Champions League place by just two points last season and are in the hunt again.

Aided by a trusty left foot, the 25-year-old Bowen has has been clinical in front of goal with 12 goals and nine assists in all competitions - more than any other West Ham player.

In last Sunday's 2-2 draw at Leicester, Bowen opened the scoring with a cool finish before providing the cross for Craig Dawson's injury-time equaliser.

"I'm just thinking, in that type of finish, it's reminiscent of someone like Robbie Fowler, that sort of player," said former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.

"That's what it feels like with Bowen... when he's in those situations, you just expect him to score."

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards described Bowen's form as "mind-blowing" and "instrumental" to West Ham's rise, adding: "He seems to get better and better every time you watch him. He is getting them so many points."

Bowen joined Hull as a teenager from Hereford in 2014

Bowen's tough climb to the top of English football would not have happened had he gone through with his intention to quit the game aged 16.

Having dragged tractor tyres across a field to bulk up as a teenager one summer, he then endured a failed trial at Cardiff and saw local side Hereford scrap their youth team.

"At that point, I was just like, 'I can't be bothered with this'," he told The Sun when looking back at that period.

A re-formed Hereford set-up persuaded him to return and he helped the club escape relegation from the Football Conference in 2014, before his big move to Premier League side Hull.

But it was in the Championship with the Tigers that he really made his mark, scoring 54 goals in 131 games, including 22 in the 2018-19 campaign.

"I like Bowen a lot," Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has said. "He made his way up from Hull and took not too long to show exactly what kind of player he can be in the Premier League. He made big steps."

'He is not just a flash in the pan'

Hull made a handsome profit on Bowen, signing him on a free transfer and selling him to West Ham in January 2020 for £20m - and he has continued to flourish.

His consistent performances in the capital may well be catching the eye of England manager Gareth Southgate as he aims to win his first cap during the friendlies in March and in a World Cup year.

But he has a tough task of breaking into a Three Lions squad which is already packed with attacking talent - and one that reached the final of the European Championship last summer.

Team-mate Rice has established himself as an integral part of the national team and Bowen is now being tipped to make a breakthrough.

"Jarrod Bowen is unstoppable at the moment," ex-Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"If the England squad was being picked tomorrow he would have to be in it. You can't ignore what he is doing - it is unbelievable."

Former Hammers and England forward Teddy Sheringham was full of praise, calling Bowen "exciting".

He added: "When you look at the other players that are in and around the England squad that could be picked, not many are playing with the distinction that he is.

"I would put him in and give him a chance, 'show us what you can do at this level'. He is not just a flash in the pan, he gets hold of the ball, uses his body well, takes people on, shoots, brings other people into the game.

"I think he has got a bit of everything, I really like him."

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