Jarrod Bowen could be set to rip up the Championship this season.

A lot has been said about the West Ham captain since his decision to stay at the club. Bowen has been praised by Irons fans and neutrals alike for his commitment to the Hammers’ cause.

Though Bowen was heavily rumoured to stay in East London this summer, last week’s confirmation was still huge and unsurprisingly caught the eye of West Ham’s second-tier competition for next season.

Some have pondered whether Bowen, a man with 65 Premier League goals, 22 England caps and a European winner’s medal, will be the best player to ever play in the Championship.

Bowen’s Premier League stats make for terrifying viewing for West Ham’s competitors next season. He could’ve been playing for a top side at this stage in his career, yet he finds himself competing in the second tier.

But how good will Bowen really be in the Championship? Of course, he is surely the league’s most talented player on paper, but that puts a huge target on his back—which could hinder him significantly.

The Irons’ captain had a very quiet second half of the 2025/26 season. In fact, between the end of January and the final game of the season in May, Bowen failed to score in the league.

Teams were putting two or three players on the Hammers’ skipper, which allowed Crysencio Summerville to shine on the left. But now that the Dutchman looks set to leave for Al-Hilal, the Irons must find a suitable replacement to fill that void.

Don’t be surprised if Bowen has a slow start next season. His decision to stay at West Ham has been widely publicised and is arguably the biggest story in the league going into the upcoming Championship season.

Every side will treat a trip to London Stadium as a big day out, and every left-back will see competing against Bowen as one of the biggest moments of their career.

It may take Nuno Espírito Santo some time to figure out how best to use his captain. But once he does, Bowen will be an absolute menace in that division.

His tendency to alternate between cutting inside onto his left foot to shoot and attacking the byline to cross with his left will cause big problems for the opposition—especially if West Ham hold on to striker Taty Castellanos.

He could have an all-time great campaign in the division. But his form will have a huge influence on whether this West Ham team get promoted or not.

In short, Bowen’s notoriety will make playing in the Championship a challenge. But his quality should shine through, and I’m sure he will rise to the occasion to bring West Ham back to where they belong.