West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen has committed his future to the club, stating it was a "no brainer" to stay as they aim for an immediate return to the Premier League.
Bowen, 29, had attracted interest from fellow Premier League clubs Everton, Newcastle, and Aston Villa following West Ham's relegation to the Championship. However, no firm offers were made.
The England international revealed that discussions with Daniel Kretinsky, who is set to become the club's largest shareholder, and his associate Jiri Svarc, a West Ham board member, were instrumental in his decision. Bowen traveled to Prague to meet with Kretinsky and Svarc, where he gained assurances about the club's future vision.
"The ambition that I got from them, certainly in terms of the direction the Club wants to move in, it interests me a lot," Bowen said. "It didn't take a lot for me, because this Club means a lot to me."
Bowen emphasized his commitment to leading the team back to the top flight. "For me, the main thing is to get this club back into the Premier League and speak to people in the club about what we want to do moving forward as a club for the better of the club," he stated. "It was a no-brainer for me to be here and the vision is clear, it's the Premier League."
Since joining West Ham from Hull City in January 2020 for £22 million, Bowen has scored 85 goals in 280 appearances. He was a key player in the team that won the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina in 2023 with a 90th-minute winner.
Bowen acknowledged the challenges of the Championship, describing it as a "long, long season" requiring strong mentality and togetherness. As captain, he intends to set high standards for his teammates.
"My role is captain here. I know people look to me to set those standards and that's all I try to do every single day," Bowen said. "That's what's expected of me and I'll be the voice and demand those standards and that every single player put in the hard yards and hard work every single day."
Bowen's decision is a significant boost for manager Nuno Espirito Santo's squad ahead of the new season, which begins with a Carabao Cup tie against Portsmouth on August 8. The club's financial situation was also eased by the recent sale of Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham for £85 million.