According to The Northern Echo, Steve Bruce is pushing Newcastle United to sign Jarrod Bowen. It is believed that the manager is a massive fan of the Hull City winger, who has impressed the onlookers with his blistering performances this season. Bruce believes Bowen could be an excellent addition to the current Newcastle side. But, is he really a viable target for the Magpies?
Bowen’s impressive performances at Hull City
A product of the Hereford youth academy, Bowen has been a part of Hull City’s senior side since 2016. But, it wasn’t until the 2017/18 campaign when he first made his professional breakthrough. He was involved in 16 goals in that corresponding campaign, which was followed by a 22 goal season the following campaign.
This season, however, Bowen has upped his game to a whole new level. The winger has already netted nine goals in just 16 league matches while mustering two assists. He has really flourished under Grant McCann, and his performances in the final third have helped Hull City retain their status in the mid-table.
What can he bring to the table
Bowen’s impressive scoring tally despite playing as a winger, suggests his potency in front of goal. The 22-year-old has notably netted 47 goals in 116 competitive matches for Hull, which is quite an astonishing return for a winger.
As far as his style of play is concerned, Bowen’s game revolves around his willingness to test the goalkeeper. He has mustered 56 shots on goal – a tally only bettered by Aleksandar Mitrovic and Lukas Jutkiewicz in the Championship this season. His tally of 31 completed dribbles per game is also seventh highest in the league.
Moreover, Bowen loves to cut-inside from a wide position and act as an auxiliary playmaker. It considerably improves his chances of providing the creative essence in the final third, with the attacker averaging over one key pass per game.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
Is Bowen a viable target for Newcastle United?
Newcastle have struggled with the lack of creativity in the final third, which has led to a chronic lack of goals from their attackers. In fact, only Watford have scored fewer goals than the Magpies in the Premier League so far this season.
Miquel Almiron has failed to provide a spark in the attack and has appeared terribly inconsistent. As for Allan Saint-Maximin, he has missed a chunk of the campaign through injury. Bowen, therefore, would be a sensible addition to the squad.
The Hull City star can provide additional options for Bruce in the final third, which could be important given the fact that the manager has had to rely on fullback Jetro Willems, at times. And given his form, the Bowen could turn out to be a smart piece of investment for Magpies.
