West Ham star waited at M1 service station in hope of completing Newcastle United move

Steve Bruce has revealed how close he came to signing Jarrod Bowen for Newcastle United in January 2020.

The 62-year-old brought Bowen to Hull City from non-league side Hereford in 2014 and planned to reunite with the forward at St James’ Park.

Bowen’s 54 goals in 131 appearances for the Tigers eventually attracted interest from Premier League clubs, and it boiled down to either West Ham or Newcastle on deadline day.

Unfortunately for Bruce, Bowen ended up sealing a move to the London Stadium with the former Magpies head coach unable to find the funds to meet Hull’s reported £18million asking price.

“The big one I missed on at Newcastle was Jarrod Bowen who we’d actually signed at Hull from Hereford for about £50,000,” Bruce told the Die For Three Points podcast. “I watched him come through, great kid.

“I had him parked in the service station on the M1 waiting to see if we had the permission, to see if I could scramble the funds to make it happen but I couldn’t get the money together and he went to West Ham instead.”

Bowen has enjoyed a successful three years with the Hammers, scoring 32 goals and providing 24 assists in 129 matches. He’s also been capped by England four times.