Life at West Ham United for Julen Lopetegui is proving harder than first anticipated, despite having an impressive squad of players to call upon.
David Moyes wasn’t perfect—far from it—yet he managed to lead the club to its first major trophy in 40 years while leading the Irons to three top-half finishes in the Premier League across the previous four seasons.
Be careful what you wish for. The club are now languishing in 15th position, having won just twice in the top flight since the start of the campaign. The Spaniard is coming under increased pressure to get positive results.
Ten signings were made during the summer transfer window, yet the former Real Madrid boss is having to rely on someone Moyes signed in 2020 to get the team firing – Jarrod Bowen.
Jarrod Bowen’s season in numbers
The Englishman has arguably been one of the finest signings West Ham have made in the previous five years, especially when you consider his value for money.
Moyes spent £20m to bring the former Hull City star to the London Stadium in 2020. Fast-forward nearly five years later and Bowen has registered 104 goal contributions – 63 goals and 41 assists – across 212 games.
Bowen, therefore, has cost the club only £190k per goal involvement, suggesting they have gotten their value out of the winger, no doubt about that.
Last term, he scored 20 goals and grabbed ten assists, carrying on this type of form into the current campaign, already notching five goal contributions.
Not only does he rank first in the West Ham squad for big chances created (three), but the English dynamo also ranks first for key passes per game (2.5), third for successful dribbles per game (1.5) and second for shots on target per game (0.9), demonstrating how effective he has been in the final third in the Premier League this season.
If Lopetegui wishes to remain in his post for as long as possible, he will be hoping Bowen can keep up his early season form, otherwise, his position could soon become untenable.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2023/24
44
20
10
2022/23
54
13
8
2021/22
51
18
11
2020/21
40
8
6
2019/20
13
1
4
Over the years, Bowen’s market value has risen steadily due to his wonderful performances for the club. One thing is for certain, West Ham will make a stunning profit on the winger should they have to sell in the next couple of years.
Jarrod Bowen’s market value
At the time of writing, Bowen is currently valued at €50m (£41.6m) according to Transfermarkt, representing a significant increase on the £20m fee they paid to sign him a few years ago.
Moyes reportedly slapped a £100m price tag on him towards the end of last year as Liverpool were keeping a close eye on the player.
Whether they will manage to get this sort of fee remains the question, but there is a player in the current first-team squad who is valued higher than Bowen. According to Transfermarkt, that is…
How much Lucas Paqueta cost West Ham United
As the 2022 summer transfer window was coming to an end, Moyes spent £51m on bringing Lucas Paqueta to London from Lyon.
It looked like a signing which could take the club to the next level and by the end of that season, the Brazilian had scored five times and grabbed seven assists as West Ham won the Europa Conference League trophy.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the attacking midfielder at West Ham, however, especially during the current campaign, with an FA charge regarding alleged breaches of their betting rules still hanging over him.
Lucas Paqueta’s season in numbers
Last season, Paqueta registered 15 goal contributions – eight goals and seven assists – across 43 games in all competitions, which wasn’t a bad return at all, heightening expectations heading into the current campaign.
So far, the 27-year-old has managed to record just two goals in eight Premier League games for the Irons this term, hardly the form many expected when Lopetegui took over during the summer.
He currently ranks in fifth position among the squad for shots on target per game (0.4) in the Premier League, along with ranking fifth for big chances created (one) and for successful dribbles per game (0.6), hardly the form of a £50m player.
Over the previous 365 days, Paqueta failed to rank in the top 50% for touches in the opposition box, successful take-ons and shot-creating actions per 90 when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.
It is clear improvement is needed, especially if the midfielder wishes to drag West Ham back into the top half of the league table.
Former teammate Declan Rice lavished praise on the Brazilian ahead of the 2023 Conference League final, saying: “I think now you’re seeing the real Lucas. Some of the stuff he does, even in training, it’s just mind-boggling how good he is.”
Mind-boggling he hasn’t quite been this season, that’s for sure.
Lucas Paqueta’s market value
According to Transfermarkt, Paqueta is currently the highest-valued player in the West Ham squad, with a valuation of €55m (£46m), which is even higher than Bowen, despite the Englishman shining for the club this term.
That value is slightly lower than the £51m fee Moyes shelled out to sign him more than two years ago, while it also represents a drop from his peak value of £54m from back in May.
Whether or not a lengthy ban does arrive, the Hammers will need their playmaker to get firing in the short-term. Could a new manager potentially revive the attacking midfielder? Or will he finally come good under Lopetegui before Christmas?
The next few months could be very important indeed for the former Lyon starlet, that’s for sure.
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