West Ham drop new hint Jarrod Bowen might be staying at the London Stadium | OneFootball

West Ham have unveiled their new shirt for the 2026/27 campaign, and their captain is at the front and centre of it

West Ham are at the start of a truly stressful summer transfer window, as they strive to keep their better-performing players from returning to the Premier League.

The Hammers are back in the Championship for the first time in 14 years, and during their recent, lengthy top-flight stay, they've had numerous European finishes and subsequent success in those competitions, peaking with the UEFA Conference League title in 2023.

Therefore, the prospect of a second-tier campaign may not be too attractive to the majority of Nuno Espirito Santo's squad, especially those who have a European pedigree. Nevertheless, West Ham will be doing all they can to retain those stars, namely Jarrod Bowen.

The Hammers captain has been the face of West Ham for the better part of six years now, contributing to over 100 top-flight goals at the London Stadium and scoring the winning goal in that Conference League final against Fiorentina three years ago.

Bowen is, evidently, a Premier League-quality player, but with his long-standing relationship with the club, the fact he turns 30 later this year and with West Ham generating large profits from player sales outside of him, there's some optimism at the London Stadium that their talisman could stick around ahead of their Championship return.

West Ham drop big Jarrod Bowen hint in their kit reveal

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West Ham ramped up their pre-season preparations on Thursday morning by revealing their new home shirt for the 2026/27 campaign. The promotional video on their X account hinted at a little more than just what their kit will look like next season, though.

A limited number of people were seen modelling the shirt in the video, and at the front and centre of it was Bowen, with a rather expressionless look on his face. Nevertheless, having him present is a bigger cause for optimism than how he may look wearing it.

If the 29-year-old was actively exploring a move away from West Ham this summer, there's a high likelihood he wouldn't even be involved in promotional footage.

The video also includes Tomas Soucek, who pledged his allegiance to the Hammers in an Instagram post earlier this week, so if the Czech midfielder is staying and in the video, perhaps Bowen could be, too.

At least there are no immediate signs that Bowen is moving on anytime soon, which can only be a positive for West Ham. Their captain has made 280 appearances at the London Stadium since arriving in January 2020, scoring 85 goals.

How West Ham fans have reacted to Jarrod Bowen being in the kit reveal

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The West Ham fanbase's reaction is definitely mixed at seeing Bowen in their new kit ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Some are taking the revelation as a hint that he is staying, while others still feel that the writing is on the wall for the 22-capped England international's Hammers career.

"BOWEN, MAGASSA, SOUCEK, KYLE WALKER PETERS, POTTS, BASICALLY ALL CONFIRMED STAYING," one fan commented, rather excitedly, while others speculated with a little more hope, rather than certainty. "Does this mean Bowen staying?" was among the replies to the West Ham post.

Other fan accounts picked up on the sighting of Bowen in the new kit reveal. West Ham Central posted on X, "OFFICIAL: JARROD BOWEN IN THE 2026/27 HOME KIT👀," and fans flocked to the replies to air out their thoughts, too.

"He looks well happy," one fan said, commenting on the expressionless look on Bowen's face. "Doesn't look happy, does our Jarrod," said another.

Ultimately, seeing a player in a kit reveal doesn't automatically mean he'll be sticking around for the season to come. Southampton last season, for example, included James Bree, Will Smallbone and Yuki Sugawara in their kit reveal, before all three were sent out on loan that summer.

But having him appear will indicate a stay at the London Stadium a lot more than not having him involved in the reveal. It may not change a thing regarding his departure, but it's given Hammers fans some more hope that their captain could stick around for the Championship.