A new report claims Gareth Southgate’s Jarrod Bowen decision has serious implications for a West Ham striker target.
Sky Sports is claiming that Southgate is finally set to give West Ham star Bowen his first England call-up.
West Ham fans and pundits have been highly critical of Southgate for failing to recognise Bowen’s form and talent since he signed for the Hammers.
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Southgate has snubbed Bowen on several occasions and was coy when asked whether West Ham’s top scorer would have been called up for the last international break in March had he not been injured.
The Three Lions boss had pledged to pick players on form and ability not repuatation or status when he first landed the job.
But Southgate has contradicted that by ignoring Bowen in favour of the likes of struggling trio Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish over the past couple of seasons.
Bowen has scored and assisted a total of 24 Premier League goals this season for West Ham – one more than the Premier League Player of the Season, Kevin De Bruyne.
And Sky Sports claims the West Ham attaker will finally get his maiden England call-up when Soutgate names his squad for the Nations League on Tuesday afternoon.
But Sky Sports’s report also claims that Southgate’s Bowen decision has serious implications for West Ham striker target Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
West Ham were linked with a big money move for the Everton striker in January.
The Sun’s Alan Nixon, who has strong sources at Everton, claimed ex Toffees boss Moyes had been alerted that Calvert-Lewin was available as the Goodison Park outfit had to sell players to ‘claw back cash after years of over-spending’.
And speculation has abound since that David Moyes will try and sign Calvert-Lewin from his old club this summer ( The Sun, Claret and Hugh).
Sky Sports claims that Bowen’s first England call will be bad news for Calvert-Lewin, who will be dropped as a direct result.
“Jarrod Bowen is on the verge of a first senior England call-up when Gareth Southgate names his squad today for the Nations League matches against Hungary, Italy and Germany,” SSN‘s Rob Dorsett reports.
“However, Bowen’s potential involvement has implications for Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
“A year ago, Calvert-Lewin was viewed by many within the England camp as the natural understudy to Harry Kane, until hamstring, toe and quad injuries plagued him for the vast majority of this season.
“He’s fit again now, and has scored twice in his last three games, but – with Tammy Abraham fully recovered, and notching 29 goals for Roma this season – it remains to be seen whether there are enough striker places left in Southgate’s squad to accommodate Calvert-Lewin.”
Ironically that could work in West Ham’s favour when it comes to signing Calvert-Lewin this summer if Moyes is still interested.
The forward may feel he needs to move clubs to improve his England chances ahead of the winter World Cup.
And West Ham look likely to have European football if they come through a two-legged play-off in the Europa Conference League in August.