Jarrod Bowen's West Ham United future is more uncertain than ever after their relegation to the Championship and his England World Cup squad snub by Thomas Tuchel
Jarrod Bowen stands with his hands on his hips during a West Ham United match
Jarrod Bowen has yet to explicitly commit his future to West Ham United(Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport, CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Jarrod Bowen has apologised to West Ham United fans after the club's relegation to the Championship.
The Hammers' captain, however, stopped short of committing his future to the second tier amid speculation linking him with Newcastle United. The 29-year-old still has four years remaining on the seven-year contract he signed shortly after their Conference League success in 2023.
Since arriving from Hull City six years ago, the England international has not played in the Championship, racking up over 200 Premier League appearances during that spell. The club's drop influenced Thomas Tuchel's choice to leave him out of the World Cup squad.
In a lengthy, heartfelt Instagram post, Bowen spoke directly to supporters, notably absolving them of any blame after their Premier League relegation. The West Ham captain 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."
Bowen now confronts a crucial summer. There are numerous Premier League clubs reportedly interested in securing his signature with a potentially cut-price deal now in the offing.
When pressed repeatedly on his personal future during Sunday's post-match interviews, Bowen consistently avoided the subject. Nevertheless, he ultimately revealed his ambition is to guide 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."
When pushed further on the issue, he remained resolute: "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."
Darren Bent warned Bowen last week about dropping down to the Championship. He told talkSPORT: "For me, the logical move for Jarrod Bowen, if he were to leave West Ham and stay in the Premier League, would be Newcastle.
"I think you've got to stay in the Premier League as long as possible. I remember when I dropped out of the Premier League, I thought I'd come back, and I never did. I was desperate to come back."
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