Jarrod Bowen had been widely linked with a move to Newcastle United.
Also, many in the media, journalists and numerous pundits, saying the West Ham star would be an ideal summer signing for NUFC.
With the Hammers relegated it was universally expected Jarrod Bowen would leave the London Stadium.
However, the England international is not moving to Newcastle United.
Nor indeed moving anywhere.
The Athletic revealing on Friday: ‘West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen has committed his immediate future to the club by signing a revised contract. Bowen, 29, has agreed to a contract adjustment which, according to sources briefed on discussions, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, does not extend the deal beyond its expiration of 2030, but ensures he commits his future to West Ham for the 2026-27 Championship season.’
West Ham were already in a seriously poor financial position even before they were relegated and needed to sell players to stay within the Premier League financial rules.
Instead of sacrificing Jarrod Bowen, the Hammers have sold midfielder Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham for £85m and winger Crysencio Summerville is now expected to be sold.
To be honest, I never expected for one second that Jarrod Bowen would be signing for Newcastle United this summer.
I thought it was all very lazy the media reporting, none of it made sense from everything else we knew. Even before the details of the UEFA settlement with Newcastle United were made public in the last 24 hours.
A transfer fee of around £50m was speculated and Jarrod Bowen reported to be on £200,000 a week (£10m a year).
If say you gave him a five-year contract, that is a £100m deal (transfer fee £50m and £50m wages over five years) for a Jarrod Bowen who turns 30 in December. Zero chance of this happening.
To commit £100m on a player whose value will only fall and very unlikely you will ever get any return on in terms of future transfer fee…
It has become crystal clear this summer that the Newcastle United strategy is not bringing in older experienced players on very high wages, indeed, just the opposite! The likes of Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon sold for high transfer fees and getting their wages off the books, with young up and coming players signed on far lower transfer fees and wages.