- Newcastle United look for Anthony Gordon replacement
- Could West Ham stalwart Jarrod Bowen be the one?
- Hammers star once targeted by Steve Bruce
Newcastle United have come a long way since the days of Steve Bruce. The ex Magpies boss was given his marching orders just 13 days after the Saudi takeover in 2021 but the Public Investment Fund and Bruce do share an admiration for one Premier League winger.
It’s set to be a big summer of change at St James’ Park. Even with Eddie Howe now set to continue in his position, key first team players will leave and a shift in strategy is on the horizon.
Anthony Gordon appears to be the first standout star to be shown the exit door amid talks with Bayern Munich and Barcelona over a £75 million transfer. The England international, who has 17 goals across all competitions this term, will need to be replaced.
Newcastle United target West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen
The Magpies are starting to focus more on investing in youth, with an eye of turning a profit, but the loss of experience in Gordon’s departure may need a more senior head to come in. That could be West Ham stalwart Jarrod Bowen.
Bowen has remained a committed figure to the West Ham project since arriving from Hull City in 2020 but the feeling is that the 29-year-old may push for bigger and better things while still in his prime. The Daily Mail today reports that the ‘race is on’ for the forward’s signature.
The Hammers are said to be accepting that Bowen may leave the club even if another season of Premier League football is secured. The report claims that Liverpool are ‘long-standing admirers’ of Bowen but that Newcastle are also interested should Gordon indeed leave. Everton are also linked.
It’s an intriguing transfer rumour for the Magpies, given that Bruce endeavoured to sign Bowen for the club in 2020. Those talks got as far as a meeting in a service station before the winger opted for a move to the capital.
Steve Bruce almost signed Bowen for Newcastle
Reflecting on that transfer, Bruce told talkSPORT: “I had him at Wetherby services for two hours and tried to do a deal before he went to West Ham.
“I couldn’t get it over the line and unfortunately, he went to West Ham.
“It’s the one that really got away, but he was virtually coming to Newcastle. And, as I said, couldn’t get it over the line.”
Bowen has gone from strength to strength at West Ham with 84 goals for the club. He could offer the sort of reliability that Newcastle have been missing this term.
Bruce added: “You’re going to get seven out of ten every week. He’s got the ability to score a goal from a wide area, which is crucial to it.
“Sometimes they fall on you. He was playing as a 16-year-old for Hereford amongst men and my youth team manager at the time alerted me to him and I said go and do it if it’s gonna cost £50,000 or whatever it is.
“Once he got into the team then he never came out and he never came out, but yeah, he’s been a wonderful player.”
In other news, Newcastle United target £30m Burnley star who stunned Aston Villa as Anthony Gordon replacement.
