Why Hull City should consider a permanent deal for Josh Bowler

According to Hull Daily Mail, Hull City would need to fork out a fee of £5million if they are to secure a permanent transfer for Josh Bowler, who is currently on loan at the KCOM Stadium from Everton. 

The report doesn’t throw light on whether the Tigers are exploring the possibility of turning the 20-year-old’s loan move into a permanent deal, but the talented winger has certainly endeared himself to the heart of the fans in East Yorkshire following his heroics in the club’s 3-0 victory over Fulham in the Championship.

Bowler netted his first-ever senior goal when he found the net in Hull City’s 3-0 win against the Cottagers, as the Tigers stretched their winning run to three games in the Championship and climbed up to 11th in the standings. 

The highly-rated right-winger left Everton in search of professional exposure but he has had to be patient with his playtime at the KCOM Stadium in the first quarter of the campaign, with manager Grant McCann preferring him more as an impact player off the bench. 

Bowler was handed his first Championship start in the 2-0 victory over Derby County and McCann’s decision to retain the youngster in the playing eleven for the trip to Fulham paid off handsomely, with the 20-year-old grabbing his first goal and playing a key role the 3-0 victory. 

The Chertsey-born starlet started his footballing education at Fulham and had a brief stint at Aldershot Town before making his professional bow with QPR in the 2016-17 season.

Bowler was snapped up by Everton as a bright emerging prospect thereafter and he featured largely for the U-23s in the Premier League 2, where he scored thrice in 35 appearances. 

Despite signing a contract extension at Goodison Park until the summer of 2021, Bowler’s long-term future beyond the ongoing campaign remains completely unclear. 

Hull City haven’t really spent big following their relegation to the Championship from the Premier League and the touted fee of £5m makes a permanent deal for the winger quite improbable, unless, of course, the Tigers manage to launch an unlikely surge for promotion in their first season under Grant McCann. 

To put things into perspective, City’s lack of financial muscle in the post-Premier League era looks completely understandable, however, one does get the feeling that the Tigers would eventually need to fork out some substantial cash if they are really serious about regaining their lost glory. 

Josh Bowler isn’t really a finished article just yet at the tender age of 20, but that he is rubbing shoulders with the big boys is indicative of his rapid progress and serious potential.

To that end, the Tigers need to keep a close eye on his performances over the entirety of the campaign and decide their stance accordingly. 

The 20-year-old has shown strong signs of adapting to the transition from the academy to the senior level, at least in the Championship, and Hull City should understand that they would need to polish a few gems in a bid to compete on equal terms with their rivals. 

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Verdict

The youngster apparently doesn’t have a future at Everton and the option is pretty much open for the Tigers to go ahead and make his stay permanent.

To conclude, £5m isn’t a lot in the modern-day transfer market and if Josh Bowler manages to rack up impressive returns on his loan spell, then he is certainly worth a gamble for the Tigers.