Maybe Graham Potter is a wizard after all because he seems to have cast his spell over West Ham’s injured captain Jarrod Bowen.
Graham Potter has been at West Ham less than a week but is already dealing with an injury crisis.
Hammers fans were seriously enthused by what they saw from their new manager in the FA Cup exit at Aston Villa.
West Ham were on course to win the game as they took a deserved 1-0 lead at Villa Park.
But injuries to Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville and Konstantinos Mavropanos handed the impetus to the hosts who turns things around.
Fullkrug joined Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen on the long-term injury list.
And there is uncertainty over how long Jean-Clair Todibo will be out after suffering what is believed to be an abductor injury.
West Ham boss Potter gets monumental Bowen boost
The Hammers confirmed they have as many as seven stars out of the Fulham clash.
There was some good news yesterday when Potter revealed both Emerson and Mavropanos were back fit and training.
But the Irons boss also lifted the lid on the best news he’s had since taking over.
Because Potter has received a monumental Bowen boost as a West Ham fixture is named for star’s return.
The captain has been one of the few highlights of a dismal campaign for West Ham.
But the near ever-present broke his foot in the last game of 2024 to sum up a dreadful year for the club.
Prague hero Bowen tried to play on for 30 minutes with a broken foot against Liverpool.
That sums up the man who makes West Ham tick.
It was initially reported that West Ham would be without Bowen for at least two months.
The skipper’s fiance Dani Dyer then shared a picture of Bowen which appeared to confirm the seriousness of the issue as he had his foot in a protective boot and leg raised on two giant bean bags.
Just over a week ago Dyer revealed on a podcast Bowen was targeting a return in early February.
The London derbies against either Chelsea or Brentford were the targets.
Since then Bowen has shared a video of himself jogging on an anti-gravity treadmill at Rush Green.
West Ham fixture named for return of quick healer Bowen
West Ham’s talisman has always been a quick healer.
Now he’s taken that to a whole new level.
Potter has revealed that Bowen is back running on the grass at Rush Green and is ‘champing at the bit’ to get back playing as soon as possible.
So much so he admits he and his staff are having to rein the Hammers star in for his own good.
But the new date Hammers News understands is being targeted for his return is hugely exciting for West Ham and the new manager.
Potter told The Evening Standard that Bowen is on course for an early return, saying he is doing ‘everything he can to get on the pitch as soon as possible’.
The Hammers boss wants to ‘make sure it’s in a safe and good way for Bowen’. Because once he’s back he wants him to stay back.
“But you know Jarrod – he wants to be out there, he wants to play and we’re trying to pull the reins on him rather than the other way around. He’s fantastic to have around the place,” Potter said.
“He’s just champing at the bit and he wants to get out and help. But he just has to take his medicine at the moment and just do his rehab properly.
“He was out jogging today with the individual physio, so it’s positive. I think if I’m looking at it now, Jarrod will be ahead of schedule rather than behind schedule. It’s not a rocket scientist prediction, that is it really.”
While not set in stone and very much dependent on how his recovery training progresses, Hammers News has been told Bowen is now targeting a return to action this month.
And the game that has been pencilled in for his return to West Ham action is the Premier League clash away at Aston Villa on January 26th.
That is one or two games earlier than his fiance Dyer had suggested.
It’s fantastic, welcome and much-needed news.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
