Jarrod Bowen has taken a different view from sections of the West Ham fanbase after a tough transfer window left many angry and worried.
Many West Ham fans are at boiling point with the club’s owners after the summer transfer window deadline ended in something of a damp squib.
The Hammers went into Monday’s deadline day linked with signing a new forward, another midfielder, a centre-back and even a goalkeeper.
West Ham fans felt like things were finally kicking into gear last week when top quality young midfielders Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa arrived in a £60m double deal.
A fantastic 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest and Lucas Paqueta pledging his future to the club had fans believing again after 19 dismal months.
The hope was a couple of shrewd signings on deadline day to really give Graham Potter a chance to pushing up the Premier League table with a new-look side.
Hammers failed to ride positive vibes into deadline day
In the end, though, defender Igor Julio was the only arrival on the final day of the window in a straight loan.
One top young striker target left West Ham embarrassed on deadline day.
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And the lack of arrivals has seen a growing number of disenchanted fans vowing to join protests against the owners.
It is easy to see why Hammers supporters might be upset.
West Ham fans were lured to the London Stadium from their beloved Boleyn Ground on the promise of competing with the elite in the transfer market.
Potter had promised an ‘exciting and interesting’ window where he wanted to rebuild West Ham around young stars.
Many feel Potter has not been sufficiently backed to achieve that.
Graham Potter after Nottingham Forest v West Ham United - Premier League
Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The addition of a young, pacy striker and another midfielder or a permanent centre-back signing like Charlie Cresswell may have changed opinions on the window completely heading into the international break.
In the end West Ham signed seven players for the first team squad and a total of 11 first team players left.
The window has been used as a stick with which to beat the owners and de facto director of football David Sullivan.
But one of the most important people at the club doesn’t see things the same way.
Bowen disagrees with West Ham fans raging about window
Jarrod Bowen disagrees with West Ham fans angry about the club’s transfer window.
Bowen has been declaring his undying love for the Hammers and the fans in interviews while away on England duty.
The Hammers skipper had a very public row with one particular West Ham fan after the 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat at Wolves.
Bowen insisted that was simply because he and the fans care so much about the club during a difficult moment for everyone.
As fans list the lack of spending this summer among the plethora of things they are not happy with the owners about, Bowen feels they’ve got it all wrong.
Lucas Paqueta kisses the West Ham badge as fans celebrate his goal at Nottingham Forest and Crysencio Summerville joins in
Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
West Ham have signed 20-year-old flying left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf, 25-year-old goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, 21-year-old midfield duo Fernandes and Magassa and more senior heads Kyle Walker-Peters, Callum Wilson and Igor.
The captain says he has been very impressed with the club’s business and thinks another player is effectively like an eighth signing for the Hammers.
“I care a lot for the club,” Bowen told talkSPORT.
“The fans are similar to me – they’re loyal, they’re passionate, they want the best for their club…
“I understand it (fan anger), I get it and ultimately I want to win, and I want the best for the club.”
Bowen predicts exciting times for new-look Hammers
Bowen says his spat with the fan ‘is behind us’ and he says the 3-0 win at Forest must be the starting point for the season, revealing how enjoyable the players found it celebrating with supporters afterwards.
And he feels fans should also be celebrating their new-look team instead of bemoaning what the club hasn’t got.
Especially with Crysencio Summerville added to the mix.
“I think we’ve recruited really well and obviously we’ve got Crysencio Summerville, who has come back from injury,” Bowen added.
“He almost feels like a new signing because he’s missed, I think, nearly six months of football. He came on at the weekend as well and made a really big impact.
“We’ve got players in positions now where you look at our squad and we’ve got a good amount of squad depth, and we’ve got good players with good Premier League experience as well.
“So, it’s definitely an exciting time for us. Ultimately, the first two games weren’t what we wanted, but the weekend was more what we know of ourselves, so long may that continue.”