West Ham may have dodged a bullet when it comes to Jarrod Bowen and Liverpool.
When Jurgen Klopp rocked the football world by announcing he was stepping down as Liverpool boss, there was a huge sigh of relief 227 miles away at West Ham.
Because Klopp never hid his longstanding admiration for Hammers hero Bowen.
Last season the German admitted Bowen was his favourite player outside of Liverpool.
So it stands to reason that Klopp wanted the West Ham hitman as Mohamed Salah’s heir.
Bowen signed a new seven-year deal with West Ham until 2030 18 months ago but that did not stop the speculation.
Hammers look to have dodged Bowen to Liverpool bullet
Klopp’s departure seems to have, though, much to West Ham’s relief.
Mohammed Kudus has also been linked with the Reds, again with a view to Salah’s possible exit this summer.
Arne Slot has admitted he is a big fan of Kudus, whose best position at West Ham has been off the right.
Slot knows the Ghanaian well from his time in Dutch football.
has been clear almost from the start that West Ham planned to flip a quick profit on Kudus after two years.
His £85m release clause looked cheap after a stunning debut season in the claret and blue.
But now West Ham would struggle to justify asking for £50m given how poor Kudus has been so far this term.
Whether Liverpool would still be interested after such a stark drop-off remains to be seen.
Liverpool now bound to come calling for West Ham star
One Liverpool story has dominated the football news in the international break more than any other.
And it could have ramifications for West Ham.
Because Liverpool are now bound to come calling for West Ham star but it’s not Bowen or Kudus.
It has been widely reported by the likes of BBC Sport that Trent Alexander-Arnold is close to finalising a free transfer to Real Madrid this summer.
The news has not gone down well among Reds fans, who have been highly critical of Alexander-Arnold’s decision.
While there is no doubting Alexander-Arnold’s supreme quality on the ball, the England right-back has always divided opinion over his defensive capabilities.
Liverpool have previously made the team fit around Alexander-Arnold’s unique approach to the position.
The likes of Jamie Carragher have stated they believe Slot may elect to bring in a more traditional modern right-back or wingback as their departing Academy graduate’s replacement.
That’s where bad news might – and I stress the word might – be looming for West Ham.
Liverpool may want next best thing Wan-Bissaka
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been West Ham’s player of the season since arriving for a bargain £15m last summer.
His swashbuckling displays have proved those who doubt his ability in attacking areas wrong.
Wan-Bissaka has maintained his reputation as one the best one-on-one defensive full-back since his move to West Ham too.
Thomas Tuchel was slammed for leaving Wan-Bissaka out of his first England squad.
Hammers News understands Wan-Bissaka was on the German’s 55-man long list but didn’t make the 26-man cut.
Chelsea’s Reece James was preferred instead and certainly showed his talent by scoring a superb free-kick.
Wan-Bissaka is officially the fifth best all round English player in the Premier League this season according to world-leading football data analysts WhoScored.
Four key reasons Wan-Bissaka to Liverpool won’t happen
He is the second best full-back in the top flight too.
No prizes for guessing who Wan-Bissaka is second to. Yes, Liverpool’s Alexander Arnold.
Logic says Slot may want to go out and replace the best with the second best.
As a result links, especially as we edge closer to the summer window, are inevitable.
With Champions League football on offer at Anfield, West Ham might be concerned.
Indeed Hammers fans may even be worried the club could be tempted to turn a quick profit on Wan-Bissaka given the reported PSR issues that loom.
However, West Ham can take comfort in these four big reasons a hypothetical Liverpool move for Wan-Bissaka won’t happen.
Liverpool’s fierce Manchester United rivalry
There have been players who have ended up representing both Manchester United and Liverpool down the years.
But they are few and far between due to the fierce rivalry between the Reds and the Red Devils.
In this situation that is great news for West Ham.
Although London-boy Wan-Bissaka has no childhood allegiance to either club, he spent a large part of his career at Old Trafford and may not want to stain his reputation there.
Stranger things have happened, though. Especially when big money is involved in deals for clubs and players.
The reason Wan-Bissaka joined West Ham
Wan-Bissaka has not been shy in admitting the key reason he joined West Ham.
The flying full-back has said openly he simply wanted a move back to London to be near family and friends again after years up north.
Therefore it’s unlikely he’d want to go back even if Liverpool did see him as their Alexander-Arnold replacement.
Wan-Bissaka’s extra long contract and fan reaction
Some may have missed it but when Wan-Bissaka signed for the Hammers, he penned an extra-long seven-year deal.
That means he is under contract until 2031.
While contracts are not worth the paper they’re written on sometimes in the modern game, it at least means West Ham are under no pressure to sell whatsoever.
And if they did decide to they can command whatever fee they like.
West Ham’s fans are not too happy right now after a terrible season-and-a-half. The owners have started to feel the heat again after a few years of relative serenity under David Moyes.
So the last thing the Hammers board will want to do is sell the club’s player of the year.
Two words – Conor Bradley
Above all else, West Ham can take most comfort in Conor Bradley.
The 21-year-old has been absolutely brilliant every single time he has stepped in for Alexander-Arnold this season.
He looks like a readymade replacement for Slot.
And while Wan-Bissaka would back himself up against Bradley, does he really want to have to battle it out with a top young buck for game time after becoming one of the main players at West Ham?
