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West Ham to keep Jarrod Bowen but lose 'next Vitinha' in major relegation firesale

West Ham will be set for a major clearout if the club are relegated from the Premier League, but not every star's future is so clear-cut.

The Hammers are the favourites to become the third and final team to drop down to the Championship with just two matches to go.

West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen and Mateus Fernandes

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West Ham's key stars will be in high demand if the club are relegatedCredit: Getty

Nuno Espirito Santo's men are languishing in the relegation zone and can only overhaul one other club, Tottenham, in the race for safety.

West Ham, who next travel to face Newcastle on Sunday, are currently two points adrift of Spurs following a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.

Their fate will be sealed if the Irons fail to win at St James' Park and then Roberto De Zerbi's men beat Chelsea on Tuesday evening.

In that scenario, it is expected that nearly all of West Ham's senior assets will leave the club, with captain Jarrod Bowen top of the list.

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The 29-year-old England star has scored eight Premier League goals and assisted a further 10 in his 36 top-flight appearances this season.

Jarrod Bowen's West Ham future

Bowen has been tipped as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah at Liverpool, with Newcastle and Everton also said to be keen.

talkSPORT's chief football correspondent Alex Crook has revealed that the forward, married to the daughter of celebrity Hammers fan and actor Danny Dyer, is unlikely to push for a move if they stay in the Premier League.

However, fellow West Ham VIP supporter James Corden believes there's still a scenario in which Bowen avoids leaving regardless.

"I don't know why I think this, and it could just be because I love Jarrod," he told Andy Goldstein and Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT Breakfast. "I've got a sort of niggling feeling that I feel like Jarrod might stay.

Jarrod Bowen of West Ham

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Bowen has been told that he shouldn't settle for an Everton or Newcastle-type moveCredit: Getty

Bowen to Liverpool - but not Everton or Newcastle

"If I were Jarrod, unless Liverpool go...I think if Liverpool come in for him or Man United come in for him, he absolutely should go.

"And he should go with every West Ham fan's blessing because the opportunity to play in the Champions League is something that Jared Bowen, I think, cannot give up.

"If the question is, should I leave West Ham and go to Everton, or I don't know, Brentford, or Newcastle, where you're not guaranteed Champions League football in any way, shape or form.

"If I were Jared Bowen, I'd say to the owners, I'll take the pay cut, which I think is 40 per cent, something like that.

"I'll take the pay cut, and I'll stay, if we come back up, you give it all to me on the day we go up, and I want a new contract."

Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes and Tomas Soucek

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Bowen and Fernandes have both been linked with moves to Champions League clubsCredit: Getty

Mateus Fernandes is 'next Vitinha'

Fernandes' future appears much clearer, with talkSPORT's Crook reporting his plans to leave the club if they are relegated.

The Portuguese midfielder, who only joined from Southampton last summer in a deal worth £42million, has been scouted by Man United.

Gavin and Stacey star Corden likened non-West Ham opinions of the 21-year-old to how his compatriot Vitinha was judged in England.

The latter infamously struggled on loan at Wolves, ironically under now-Irons chief Nuno, during the 2020/21 season, scoring just one goal - against Chorley in the FA Cup.

However, now Vitinha is among Europe's best midfielders, having been named on the Ballon d'Or podium in September after helping Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League.

Vitinha at Wolves

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Nuno Espirito Santo claimed Vitinha struggled with the physicalityCredit: Getty

Vitinha lifting the Champions League trophy

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Vitinha has since helped Paris Saint-Germain win the first Champions League in the club's historyCredit: Getty

"Fernandes, I think he's an extraordinary footballer," Corden said on talkSPORT Breakfast. "I think he will go to a [top] team.

"He reminds me a bit of Vitinha in PSG, who was at Wolves - Wolves fans knew how good he was, and no one else really took any notice.

"Now he's at PSG, and we're like, 'he's amazing.'

"I think Fernandes has that sort of ability."

Mateus Fernandes of West Ham

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Fernandes may endure back-to-back Premier League relegations with two different clubsCredit: Getty

What about the rest of West Ham's squad?

Mads Hermansen, who has recovered from a shaky start to become Nuno's No.1 goalkeeper, remains under contract until 2030.

The Dane kept 13 clean sheets with Leicester City during his last second-tier spell and will likely retain his spot between the sticks.

That would open the door for Alphonse Areola to seek pastures new, with Lukasz Fabianski reported to be considering retirement.

Relegation will also leave West Ham with no chance of making Axel Disasi's loan deal from Chelsea permanent.

His centre-back partner Konstantinos Mavropanos will also leave, with El Hadji Malick Diouf also attracting interest from Man United.

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In attack, Callum Wilson agreed a surprise new one-year deal at West Ham in March, but Crysencio Summerville is in high demand.

The club will also need to recoup some of the £40m-plus outlay spent in January on Pablo Felipe and Valentin 'Taty' Castellanos, with the latter scoring all four of the pair's combined Premier League goals across 28 top-flight appearances.

West Ham's potential summer clearout

Goalkeepers

Mads Hermansen - Keep

Alphonse Areola - Sell

Łukasz Fabiański - Retire?

Defenders

Axel Disasi - Will leave

Konstantinos Mavropanos - Will leave

El Hadji Malick Diouf - Sell

Aaron Wan-Bissaka - Sell

Kyle Walker-Peters - Keep

Max Kilman - Loan out with view to sell

Jean-Clair Todibo - Sell

Midfielders

Soungoutou Magassa - Keep

Tomáš Souček - Sell

Mateus Fernandes - Sell

Adama Traore - Release

Keiber Lamadrid - Don't make permanent

Mohamadou Kante - Keep

Freddie Potts - Keep

Forwards

Jarrod Bowen - Keep

Crysencio Summerville - Will Leave

Callum Wilson - Under contract

Taty - Loan out with view to sell

Pablo - Loan out with view to sell

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