Jarrod Bowen, captain of West Ham United's first football team, decided on Friday to continue his journey with the club, despite their relegation to the Championship, according to the 29-year-old player's announcement on Friday. Bowen's name had been linked with a departure from West Ham after leaving the Premier League at the end of last season, but he promised to stay with the London club after spending the summer holiday thinking about his future. Bowen said in press statements: 'There is plenty of time to think during the summer, and many things go through your mind. For me, I look at the coming years and beyond my retirement and wonder what will give me the greatest happiness. The decision was obvious. The main motivation is to stay and bring this club back to the Premier League where we belong.' Bowen added: 'The ambition I sensed from them, especially regarding the direction the club wants to take, interested me greatly. It didn't take much thought, because this club means so much to me. I have been here for six and a half years, and I have transformed from a young man coming from the Championship to captain of the club, which is a great honor. Having 50,000 season ticket holders in the Championship is an achievement in itself. This proves the loyalty and love that the fans have for the club, and their desire to see it back in the Premier League.' Bowen has scored 85 goals in 280 matches since joining West Ham from Hull City in 2020. Bowen also revealed that he recently traveled to Prague to meet with Daniel Křetínský, the main shareholder of West Ham, to discuss the club's ambitions for an immediate return to the Premier League. The Portuguese Nuno Espírito Santo also decided to continue in his position as coach of West Ham, after the end of the club's 14-year stint in the top flight.