West Ham United's Premier League relegation raises questions about whether Jarrod Bowen will stay at the Championship club next season or leave them this summer
Jarrod Bowen exhales during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Leeds United at London Stadium on May 24, 2026
Liverpool are one of several Premier League clubs credited with an interest in West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen(Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport, CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Jarrod Bowen has issued an apology to West Ham United supporters following the club's drop into the Championship. Yet the Hammers skipper has refrained from pledging his long-term commitment to life in the second tier amid links to Liverpool.
The 29-year-old still has four years left on the seven-year deal he penned shortly after their Conference League triumph in 2023. Since his move from Hull City six years ago, the England international hasn't featured in the Championship, amassing more than 200 Premier League outings during that period.
The club's relegation played a part in Thomas Tuchel's decision to omit him from the World Cup squad. Bowen now faces a pivotal summer, with several top-flight sides reportedly keen to sign him, with Liverpool among them.
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Taking to Instagram with an extensive, emotionally charged message, Bowen addressed the fanbase directly while absolving them of any responsibility at all. The West Ham skipper wrote: "It's hard to post something like this when all you're feeling is embarrassment and pain.
"I could write loads trying to explain where it all went wrong this season, but honestly, what you deserve from me is an apology. Winning that trophy in Prague was the best night of my career. Sunday was the worst.
"We just weren't good enough. Simple as that. And that's why the season ended the way it did.
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"To the fans, you didn't let us down once. The support home and away never changed, even when things weren't good enough from us on the pitch. We should have given you more. You deserved more.
"One thing I know about this club is that it has the desire and fight to bounce back from this. This club belongs in the Premier League and deserves to be back there as soon as possible."
When quizzed repeatedly about his own future during Sunday's post-match interviews, Bowen consistently sidestepped the question. However, he eventually said his vision is to get the club back into the Premier League.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: "It's still very, very raw. Talking about futures is disrespectful to the club, the fans, everything like that.
"This club deserves to be in the Premier League. Our aim now is to get this club back into the Premier League.
Pressed further on the matter, he stood firm: "It's disrespectful to everyone to start talking about that. I want this club to be in the Premier League.
"It's a club that means so much to me and has given me so much. So my vision is to get this club back in the Premier League."