West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen has committed to the club despite their drop into the Championship. The 29-year-old England forward faced speculation about leaving London Stadium after the club's Premier League relegation, but he's resolved to stay.
Bowen spent the close-season weighing up his options. "There's a lot of thinking time over the summer and a lot of things that go on in your head," he told reporters.
The forward said happiness in his retirement years drove his decision. "For me I look in years and years to come of when I retire, what's going to bring me the most happiness?" he explained.
He insisted staying was straightforward. "It was a no-brainer.
The main motivation is staying and bringing this club back into the Premier League where we belong," he added.
Bowen recently flew to Prague to meet majority shareholder Daniel Kretinsky and discuss West Ham's plans for an immediate top-flight return. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo also stayed on after the club's 14-year spell in the Premier League ended.
"The ambition I got from them, certainly in terms of the direction that the club wants to move in, interested me a lot," Bowen said.
The captain has netted 85 goals across 280 appearances since his 2020 move from Hull. He described his journey at the club as transformative.
"It didn't take a lot because this club means a lot to me. I've been here six and a half years and transitioned a boy really from the Championship to the captain of the club, which is a huge honour," he noted.
Bowen highlighted the supporters' commitment during this period. "50,000 season ticket holders in the Championship is some feat.
It goes to show you that loyalty and love they have for the club, and they want to see it back in the Premier League," he concluded.
