Newcastle had goal machine 'parked up' at Wetherby Services but 'nailed on' move fell through

Newcastle United had Jarrod Bowen 'parked up' at Wetherby Services - but the Magpies could not get the deal 'over the line'.

Bowen was a top target of Steve Bruce's in January, 2020, but those at the top of the club were ultimately reluctant to spend a sizable fee on a player who had never played in the Premier League and who did not have that long left to run on his contract at Hull City. West Ham, however, were willing to stump up an initial £14m plus £6m in add-ons in what proved an inspired deadline day move.

Bowen has gone on to score 59 goals for West Ham, including the winner in the Europa Conference League final last season, and the England international is currently enjoying his best ever goal scoring campaign in the Premier League after finding the back of the net on 15 occasions in the top-flight.

READ MORE: Eddie Howe shed 'very small' tear as Newcastle boss opens up on emotional moment

READ MORE: Chelsea secure 'clever' FFP hotel bonus on top of £76.3m win yet Newcastle deal concerned clubs

To think Bowen had previously thought he was 'going to Newcastle' and the 27-year-old even looked at houses in the North East. Bowen felt the move was 'nailed on', having previously worked with Bruce at Hull City, only for the former Newcastle boss to be unable to 'scramble the funds to make it happen'.

"I've got a big affinity with him," Bruce told talkSPORT this week. "I signed Jarrod Bowen at Hull for £50,000 a long time ago when he was 16 so I knew all about him.

"I had him parked up at Wetherby Services trying to take him to Newcastle and couldn't get it over the line and he went to West Ham. One that got away.

"This kid scores goals. Even at Hull, he scored 50 goals before he got his move to West Ham. He's got a knack of scoring a goal where maybe he has not got the natural flair of the other ones you're talking about, but he's very effective. How would you back against him?"

Clearly, the money was there for what the hierarchy deemed the right player at the time. After all, this was a mid-season window where Newcastle had a huge bid accepted by Lille for Boubakary Soumare.

A plane had even been booked for a club delegation to fly out to meet Soumare, but the midfielder decided to stay put and keep his options open, which proved a blessing in disguise, after the Frenchman failed to make much of an impact following his subsequent move to Leicester City.