Bowen Within Reach if Hammers Drop Down, While United Probe Williams Availability at Forest

Manchester United could find themselves in the market for West Ham's Jarrod Bowen this summer, though a pair of significant conditions would need to fall into place first.

The Hammers have endured a miserable 2025/26 campaign, yet Bowen has emerged as their standout performer with eight Premier League goals and ten assists to his name. The England international's consistent output over recent seasons means he'll hardly lack suitors should West Ham's top-flight status be lost.

United are among the clubs keeping tabs on the forward, with the Old Trafford hierarchy keen to bolster their ranks ahead of a return to Champions League football. For a deal to materialise, sources suggest West Ham would need to suffer the drop to the Championship, whilst INEOS would have to reconsider their primary summer recruitment targets.

One analyst noted that whilst Bowen's versatility—capable of playing across either flank or through the middle—would ordinarily appeal to United, his age presents a potential stumbling block. At 30 by the midway point of next season, he falls outside the typical profile the club are pursuing. Should relegation force West Ham into a fire sale, however, the arithmetic becomes far more attractive, with several Premier League heavyweights likely to circle.

United have also cast their net wider on the defensive front. The club have made preliminary enquiries to Nottingham Forest regarding right-back Neco Williams, the former Liverpool prospect currently tied to a deal running through 2029.

Forest's recent survival, combined with their reluctance to part with the defender, makes any move decidedly complicated. Nevertheless, United have chosen to test the waters. Williams has drawn attention from Newcastle, Aston Villa and Everton as well, though Forest's position remains firm—they are not in the business of selling.