West Ham must swoop for £6.5m striker who could answer big Nuno problem | OneFootball

West Ham United should look to sign Scottish striker Kieron Bowie this summer

West Ham United are preparing for their first season back in the Championship for 14 years, with Nuno Espirito Santo looking likely to lead the Hammers into the second tier.

Things have certainly been better at West Ham in recent times.

Just over three years ago, a late Jarrod Bowen winner in Prague saw the East London outfit prevail 2-1 over Fiorentina in the UEFA Europa Conference League final to clinch their first major European trophy in over half a century.

Fast-forward to the present day, Hammers fans can instead look forward to away days to Stoke City and Lincoln City (no disrespect intended to either) in the Championship, in what will be their first time back in the division in 14 years.

Following the loss of Premier League revenue, the club may be forced to raise up to £100 million in player sales, as the likes of Bowen, Mateus Fernandes, El Hadji Malick Diouf, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have all been linked with moves away.

Callum Wilson is due to leave the club following the expiry of his current terms, whilst it is expected that Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe don't intend to stick around for the Championship, leaving a huge void to fill up top, as Nuno should turn his attentions to Italy to source a ready-made replacement.

West Ham United should consider swooping for Hellas Verona striker Kieron Bowie

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West Ham and strikers have rarely tended to mix well over the years, but that doesn't mean that should always be the rule.

For every Andy Carroll, Marko Arnautovic, and Michail Antonio, there has been a Benni McCarthy, Simone Zaza, and Jordan Hugill, as the Hammers have had, at best, a patchy record when it comes to forwards.

With Wilson, Castellanos, and Pablo unlikely to be at the London Stadium next season, a centre-forward or two is bound to be high up on Nuno's priorities heading into the summer window, as the Hammers should focus their attentions on Hellas Verona's Kieron Bowie.

Bowie, 23, came through the ranks at Raith Rovers before being picked up by Fulham in 2020, with whom he starred for in their youth ranks, subsequently joining Northampton Town on loan for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.

The Scot would earn a move back to his home country with Hibernian for around £600k the following summer, and would shine at Easter Road over the next 18 months, scoring 15 and assisting five in 52 games across all competitions in Edinburgh.

Europe came calling, as Hellas Verona splashed out around £6.5 million to bring Bowie to the Italian top flight in January 2026, where he has since scored four and assisted one in 14 league games, though he was unable to help Hellas from facing the drop to Serie B.

Goals against the likes of Bologna, Juventus, Torino, and Inter have firmly put him on the map, and following his side's relegation, Bowie admitted he doesn't know where his future lies, saying: "I don't know what will happen (this summer), but I have a four-year contract. The club will decide. Serie B? I haven't thought about it yet, honestly. Let's focus on Roma. I know it's difficult to go from Serie A to Serie B."

With his immediate future up in the air, West Ham should be putting their name firmly in the mix for his signature this summer.

Bowie was snubbed for a spot in Steve Clarke's World Cup squad in favour of Lawrence Shankland, Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, Ross Stewart, and George Hirst, but so was Hull City's promotion hero Oli McBurnie, so Bowie ought not to feel too aggrieved.

The 23-year-old has shown his capability of finding the back of the net at the very highest level, despite being thrown into a new league, in a new country, in the middle of the season, and in a relegation battle, which can only bode well for his character.

Bowie could be an excellent purchase for whoever earns his signature this summer, and West Ham, who will be in need of a proven goalscorer this summer, should be firmly in the mix.

Nuno Espirito Santo will be provided the license to rebuild the West Ham United squad this summer and should consider Kieron Bowie swoop

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When it comes to guiding a team out of the Championship, Nuno is no novice.

The Portuguese boss amassed 99 points with Wolverhampton Wanderers during the 2017/18 season, with the likes of Diogo Jota, Ruben Neves, Willy Bolly, and Ivan Cavaleiro at his disposal, and will be hoping for similar firepower this time around.

Sales will be a priority heading into the window, with the Hammers likely needing to clear out their roster before they can add to it, as Nuno will almost certainly be given a big say in transfer dealings.