Jarrod Bowen hands West Ham boss Graham Potter massive injury boost – less than a month after fracturing his foot

Jarrod Bowen has taken another step closer to a much-needed return as the West Ham captain looks to boost his side’s injury crisis.

The Hammers skipper has been out since December with a fractured foot but has now returned to training on the grass and Mail Sport understands he is soon to begin kicking a ball again.

Graham Potter revealed last week that Bowen had been jogging with a physio and was ‘ahead of schedule’ and sources close to the player say he has taken a ‘great step in the right direction’ in getting back to full fitness.

Bowen was originally expected to be out for six weeks after sustaining the injury in the defeat to Liverpool at the end of last month but has recovered much quicker than expected.

West Ham face Chelsea on Monday night before a two-week break until their next game with the club out of the FA Cup.

‘He’s doing everything he can to get on the pitch as soon as possible,’ West Ham boss Graham Potter said last week. ‘We just need to make sure it’s in a safe way, and it’s a good way for him because we want to get him back and we want him to stay back.

The Hammers captain r has been out since December with a fractured foot but has now returned to training on the grass

‘You know Jarrod, he wants to be out there, he wants to play and we’re trying to pull the reins on him rather than the other way around. He’s fantastic to have around the place.

‘He’s just champing and wants to get out and help but he just has to take his medicine at the moment and just do his rehab properly.

‘He was out jogging today with the individual physio, so it’s positive. I think if I’m looking at it now, Jarrod will be ahead of schedule rather than behind schedule.’

A swift return for Bowen would do wonders to alleviate the attacking injury crisis at the club.

West Ham have just one fit striker in Danny Ings and Potter has started his first two Premier League games in charge without a recognised centre-forward on the pitch, instead opting to play Lucas Paqueta or Mohammed Kudus up front.

Hammers boss Graham Potter is eagerly anticipating the return of Bowen amid his side’s current injury crisis

Summer signing Niclas Fullkrug missed three months with an Achilles injury and is now set for a prolonged period on the sidelines with a hamstring problem, striker Michail Antonio is still recovering after his car crash and winger Crysencio Summerville has missed the last two games.

The Hammers are desperate to sign a striker in January and have targeted a host of front men including Fulham’s Rodrio Muniz, Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, Andre Silva of RB Leipzig and Nottingham Forest centre-forward Taiwo Awoniyi.