West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini will hand young midfielder Josh Cullen a chance to impress in pre season, according to Claret & Hugh.
The reliable Hammers news source claims that the 23-year-old will be given every opportunity to show he’s worthy of a first team squad place next season.
The Irishman has spent the campaign on loan at League One outfit Charlton Athletic, where he’s been a regular contributor for Lee Bowyer’s side.
If Hammers midfielder Pedro Obiang departs then the club may look to bring in a low-cost option in the middle of the park, but the emergence of either Cullen or Edimilson Fernandes could see that plan abandoned.
OPINION
This is an interesting one, isn’t it? It’s easy to forget about Cullen when you think of the young Hammers who could potentially make the breakthrough in the coming years, but he’s a hot prospect in his own right. He’s had an excellent season at Charlton, forming a key part of a side who achieved a third place finish in League One. That’s no mean feat for someone of his age in such a crucial position on the pitch. Cullen, though, is now at the age where he either needs to make the grade at West Ham or move on permanently to somewhere else. He needs to be playing regular football now and if he’s not going to be doing that at the London Stadium then he needs to get out while his stock is high off the back of this campaign at Charlton. However, he will at least be given the opportunity by Pellegrini to show what he can do in pre season and that’s all you can ask for really. Let’s see what he can do with his big chance.
