West Ham United could feasibly be handed a major boost by England manager Thomas Tuchel heading into the final few games of the season.
On Friday, Tuchel selected Jarrod Bowen as part of his England squad for their games against Uruguay and Japan.
That in itself is not a huge surprise, given Bowen has regularly been selected under Tuchel – but has not always played.
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Still, the rather unusual nature of this upcoming England camp could be good news for West Ham United.
Bowen could be rested before West Ham play Leeds and Wolves
As per Ian Dennis of BBC Sport, 11 of the 35 players Tuchel selected for this camp will report for duty after the Uruguay game and before England play Japan.
Those who play against Uruguay on Friday, 27 March, could be rested and allowed to return to their clubs.
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Bukayo Saka is on the list to join up after the Uruguay game, meaning Bowen will likely battle Noni Madueke for a starting berth there.
Saka is generally seen as the starting option on the right in England’s best team, so it seems almost certain that he will be playing against Japan after a little rest.
As such, it’s certainly not impossible to imagine Bowen’s shift being over by the time England play Japan, which could allow him the chance to recover.
West Ham remain at real risk of relegation, and they will need their captain at his best when domestic football does return.
If Saka plays against Japan and that affords Bowen the chance to rest, it will be a major boost for Nuno Espirito Santo.
West Ham host Leeds in an FA Cup quarter-final a few days after that before the big one. They entertain Wolves on Friday, 10 April, 2026 – a game the Irons simply have to win.
By then, Bowen could well have been nice and rested…
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