Forget Soucek: GSB must break the bank in West Ham talks with £59m-rated "genius" - opinion

West Ham United are set to open contract talks with Jarrod Bowen in a bid to keep the winger at the London Stadium beyond the summer transfer window.

That’s according to a report by the Evening Standard, who claim that, with Liverpool reported to be keeping an extremely close eye on the forward ahead of a potential move for the 25-year-old this summer, manager David Moyes is planning to open negotiations with the winger regarding the extension of his current deal in East London.

Considering just how important a part of the Hammers side Bowen has become this season, the news that the club are looking to tie the forward down to a new long-term contract is sure to have left the London Stadium faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 25 Premier League appearances in the current campaign, the £59m-rated forward has been in breathtaking form for the Hammers, having already bagged eight goals, provided eight assists and created eight big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.4 shots and making 1.3 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £80k-per-week attacker average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.16, ranking him as the Irons’ second-best performer in the top flight of English football – behind only England international Declan Rice.

As such, it is clear for all to see that the player, who ex-Irons defender Daniel Gabbidon once dubbed a “genius“, is a crucial part of the 58-year-old’s setup at the London Stadium, particularly considering the fact that the 25-year-old is one of the Hammers’ only viable options to fill in for Michail Antonio up top.

So, while it has also been reported that the Irons are also hoping to tie Tomas Soucek down to a new contract in the coming weeks, it