There was some surprise in the summer to see Liverpool linked with West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen.
He arrived in the Premier League in January of 2020 with intrigue, after a blistering preceding six months in which he scored 16 goals whilst registered a further seven assists in just 29 appearances.
Although several top Premier League sides showed an interest, it was the Hammers who were prepared to take the £20million plunge.
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Bowen adjusted to life in the top-tier well, registering nine goals and nine assists for David Moyes’ side in his first season and a bit. Whilst a decent return, it’s hardly the sort of attacking output that you’d expect to fire a player onto Liverpool’s radar.
However, there’s so much more to the attacker’s game, with traits beyond his goal contributions that make him ideal for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
He’s got a tireless work ethic, consistently bustling around an opposition’s backline, sprinting, pressing and harrying when his side out without the ball.
At Liverpool, these are traits each of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane illustrate in an abundance, and attributes in Diogo Jota that prompted the Reds to make a similarly surprising move for him 12 months.
We saw numerous examples of Bowen’s energy across the past week in West Ham’s two clashes against rivals Manchester United where he proved a menace for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
Not just in terms of applying pressure or making selfless runs in behind and out wide, but also in the ever-present threat he posed to the United backline when he was on the ball inside the attacking third.
Although his two strong displays delivered no goals, across both matches, he registered one assist, six shots, attempted 11 dribbles - seven of which were successful and played six passes leading directly to shots on goal.
Looking at it from a Liverpool perspective, what appeals further about Bowen beyond just his ability with and without the ball is his versatility.
Like Salah, he’s a left-footed right-sided attacker, yet he’s capable of also playing as a right-sided midfielder or even centre-forward with little impact on his game efficiency.
Although no move materialised in the summer, don’t be surprised to see this one gather momentum again by the time the next transfer window comes around should Bowen continue to impress for David Moyes’ side.
