West Ham told Jarrod Bowen replacement might be at Leicester City | OneFootball

FLW's West Ham fan pundit has given his verdict on who should be targeted to replace Jarrod Bowen this summer

West Ham are preparing for their first campaign in the Championship since 2012 after suffering relegation.

The Hammers suffered the drop on the final day despite a 3-0 win at home to Leeds United, finishing two points behind Tottenham Hotspur in 17th.

Nuno Espírito Santo will be hoping to hold onto key players, with speculation mounting on a number of their top stars going into the summer transfer window.

The likes of Mateus Fernandes, Jarrod Bowen and Taty Castellanos could all depart the London Stadium between now and 1 September.

The club will also be looking to add players to the squad in the coming months, with their sights set on competing for promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt.

It is set to be quite a busy period for the London outfit, with fans uncertain as to what the team could even look like when the Championship season gets underway in August.

West Ham urged to target Leicester City forward

When asked about a potential replacement for Bowen, FLW’s West Ham fan pundit Joe Davis named Leicester City forward Abdul Fatawu as an ideal option that should be pursued.

While he acknowledged the 22-year-old’s difficult campaign with the Foxes, he’s claimed that their relegation to League One could open the door for him to make the jump back up to the Championship this summer at a reasonable cost.

“As far as Bowen replacements go, I think I’d go with Fatawu from Leicester,” Davis told Football League World.

“Could get him on a pretty decent deal.

“I’m not entirely sure he’d fully earn a move to the Premier League yet, so with Leicester being relegated I think this is one we’ve got to take advantage of.

“I know he’s been a bit hit and miss the year just gone, but I think everyone in the Championship knows what he can do, and I think, if Bowen had to go, I genuinely don’t see any better like-for-like replacement.”

Bowen has been a key figure for West Ham ever since joining from Hull City in the 2020 January transfer window.

The winger joined in a deal worth a reported £22 million, but it remains to be seen whether he will stick with the Hammers following their relegation from the Premier League.

He contributed nine goals and 11 assists in the league this season, but it wasn’t enough for the Irons to avoid the drop.

The 29-year-old has a contract until June 2030, giving the London outfit a lot of leverage in any upcoming transfer talks.

However, the appeal of returning to the top flight could be persuasive, and West Ham may consider cashing in at the right price.

Meanwhile, Fatawu registered nine goals and seven assists for the Foxes in the Championship, with the team coming 23rd in the table.

Leicester finished five points adrift of safety in what proved a disastrous campaign at the King Power Stadium, where a six point deduction penalty proved pivotal in their relegation.

Abdul Fatawu signing could replace Jarrod Bowen’s firepower

If Bowen is going to leave this summer, then West Ham will need somebody with a proven track record of both scoring and creating goals because that’s what the former Hull player has brought to the team.

Fatawu fits that bill, having scored 15 and assisted 20 from 84 appearances in the Championship in his career so far.

He is also only 22-years-of-age, so he still has room to improve in the future, meaning he could potentially be a Premier League calibre player if they can go up at the first attempt this season.

Given Leicester’s relegation, he could also be available at a reasonable cost, so this has the makings of a very smart piece of business if the Hammers could line him up in the event that Bowen does leave.