Liverpool has successfully shopped at clubs that have been relegated before, and should consider repeating the trick this summer if the price and salary are right
12:57, 07 May 2026
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
With three matches remaining, Tottenham has Leeds, Chelsea and Everton. West Ham has Arsenal, Newcastle and Leeds. One will stay up and the other will head to the Championship.
Either way, there are players on both sides who should be eyeing up staying in the Premier League, no matter what happens with their teammates. Archie Gray, for instance, will have plenty of admirers should Spurs fall into the drop zone.
At West Ham, Mateus Fernandes, who went down with Southampton a year ago before his move to the London Stadium, will have suitors regardless of his team's status — and Jarrod Bowen should be the same.
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While talkSPORT reports that Bowen would be willing to stay at West Ham for a year in the Championship, this is a player that should be in the England squad at the World Cup this summer.
Bowen is undoubtedly a Premier League-level player and at 29, he doesn't have an unlimited amount of time left at the top level, meaning he should be looking to make the most of it.
Top-flight clubs, in the event that Bowen goes down, should be seeking to do a deal — and that includes Liverpool.
Joe Cole and Joleon Lescott interview West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen.
Joe Cole and Joleon Lescott interview West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen.(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
For the right price and the right wages, Bowen could add depth and goals in attack. He could be like a Xherdan Shaqiri-style impact player, to use primarily off the bench, for the next couple of years.
Of course, in his late 20s, Bowen is outside of the usual range that Liverpool normally targets.
His salary at West Ham is substantial and he still has four years left on his contract, meaning he wouldn't necessarily be cheap.
Unlike when Stoke was relegated and Shaqiri had a modest release clause worth around $18 million (£13 million) written into his contract, a transfer fee would need to be agreed.
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It is something that Liverpool should explore, though, and much more so the likes of Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth, who might find a need for additional squad depth next season if they qualify for European competitions.
"Bowen's a legend of a player," Michael Owen said this week. "West Ham, you know, adore the man, and rightly so. But, if West Ham went down, he would fit for me. I think he's absolutely brilliant."
If the finances are right — which is far from a guarantee given West Ham's strong hand — then Bowen could make sense for Liverpool. There should be no shortage of suitors across the Premier League.