Irons Slap £100 Million Price Tag On Bowen!

Whenever a transfer window is open before it 'slams' shut, strange how it never closes but slams, rumours are rife regarding players making the headlines. None more so than Hammers' Jarrod 'Jimbo' Bowen, hitting top form right in the middle of the window only served to accentuate the front man's credentials.

Liverpool began the process of TAPPING UP Bowen ages ago, their spin machine reaches far and wide, their eventual acquisition of Virgil Van Dikj from Southampton being a classic example of how successful a media drip feed campaign can be. Liverpool eventually got their man AND escaped ANY censure, despite Southampton complaining vociferously about the tapping up.

It is not just Liverpool, ALL of the 'sick six' who attempted the ill fated breakaway to form a European Super League are at it! It appears none of the 'lesser' teams are safe from the predatory and border line legality of the traditional 'top six', indeed it certainly seems that way for West Ham at the moment, which is why the club have set internal 'club realistic' values for it's prized assets.

Aston Villa thought that putting a £100 Million release clause in Jack Grealish's contract would deter bidders, but that didn't work did it? Burnley have just suffered a similar fate, as Newcastle activated Chris Wood's £25 Million release clause. Ironically Declan Rice's Dad may have done Hammers a MASSIVE favour by refusing to accept a new contract that contains a release clause, had he done so the club might have put a £150 Million buy out clause in his new contract IF it had been negotiated 12 months ago.

Given how prominent Declan's rise to becoming the best central midfielder in the Premier League, some say in Europe AND beyond, clubs like Man City and PSG as well as the slightly poorer Man Utd would have met the buy out price and Declan would have been gone!

By constantly upping Rice's price, the club has managed to fend of ALL suitors and has used that time to forge a team capable of challenging for the top slots in the Premier League, as well as having European aspirations THIS season in the Europa League Cup.

Hammers are now applying the same principal with regards to interest in Jarrod Bowen, INSTEAD of trying to tie the player up to a deal that has a high release clause, the club is instead relying on the player actually WANTING to stay at the club, knowing that it s doing everything in it's power to move forward. Bowen's value has gone from £25 Million to £60 Million in the past year, Hammers have therefore let it be known that offers of less than £100 Million will not even be discussed.

Without release clauses, Hammers are able to constantly raise the price bar if another club comes 'sniffing around' for one of it's players. New board member Daniel Kretinsky is dead set on making a 'statement' during this transfer window, but that doesn't necessarily mean bringing players in, just retaining the club's best players despite potentially massive offers, is in itself a huge achievement, something that the club has been unable to do for over HALF A CENTURY!

These are indeed exciting times to be a Hammer, it is strange that David Moyes, a dour Scot should lead an East London team to possibly it's highest ever heights, but he is a great fit. Moyes' redemption from his Manchester days is nearly complete, if he can have his Hammers team finish above the Mancs, even he will be tempted into a wry smile.

Part of the process of usurping United involves being in a situation where you retain your best players and have absolutely NO pressure to sell them, apart from when the biscuit barons 'false money' was available, no other West Ham manager has been in such a strong position, even the 'spendaholic' Pellegrini HAD to sell IF the bid was big enough. "To be a big club, you have to think big" so said Pelegrini on his arrival, he was right, only he didn't know how to make it happen, Moyes HAS!

£25 Million-£60 Million, so what? If someone wants to prise 'Jimbo' Bowen from West Ham, why not ask for ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY? - Ed