"Maybe he could do that as well" - David Moyes suggests 25-year-old West Ham star can follow in footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
West Ham United boss David Moyes feels Irons winger Jarrod Bowen can emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi by developing into a goalscoring forward.
Ronaldo and Messi have established themselves as two of the best footballers of this generation and all time. The two forwards have notably won 12 Ballon d'Or awards between them.
It is worth noting that the Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstars came onto the scene as wingers. However, they have since gone on to establish themselves as goalscoring forwards.
Ronaldo recently scored the 700th goal of his club career, while Messi has 691 to his name. West Ham winger Bowen could also have a similar career trajectory, according to Moyes.
How many matches until Messi joins Ronaldo in the 700-goals club? 🤔 https://t.co/a6rshruzPj
Moyes is of the view that Bowen has improved tactically and become quicker since joining West Ham from Hull City in 2020. The Scot believes the 25-year-old could now slowly develop into a goalscoring forward. He told a press conference [via Inside Futbol]:
“Everyone who watched Jarrod [Bowen] can see his development, he looks faster and quicker, he understands a lot more tactically."
"If you think of all of the best wingers we’ve had, Ronaldos and Messis, nearly all of them became goalscorers and strikers. Maybe he could do that as well.”
West Ham acquired Bowen's services from Hull City in a deal worth up to £22 million in January 2020. The Englishman has since become an important player for the London outfit.
Bowen particularly impressed in the Premier League last season, scoring and assisting 12 goals each in 36 matches. He has found the back of the net five times in 14 appearances across all competitions this term.
The former Hull man's performances for the Hammers have seen him attract interest from top clubs. Arsenal were notably credited with an interest in signing him in the summer.
How has Ronaldo and Messi fared this season?
While Ronaldo has made a name for himself as a goalscoring striker, he has not had much joy in front of goal this season. He has found the back of the net just twice in 11 appearances across all competitions for Manchester United so far.
Messi, on the other hand, has been in red hot form for Ligue 1 giants PSG this campaign. He has scored eight goals from a total of 13 matches for Christophe Galtier's side.
Apart from having a knack for finding the back of the net, the Argentinean icon has often displayed his playmaking abilities. He has notably provided eight assists for his PSG teammates this season.