OPINION
West Ham midfielder Josh Cullen was one of the first to make an exit under Manuel Pellegrini in the summer, with the youngster joining Charlton Athletic on loan.
The 22-year-old has been in impressive form for the Addicks so far this season, with manager Lee Bowyer already talking up the potential of a permanent switch to south London.
Cullen however seems to have his eyes on winning a first-team place at the London Stadium, with the midfielder giving a revealing interview to the Evening Standard this week.
Talking about his conversation with Pellegrini, Cullen said: “The manager was brilliant with me. We sat down and he said he would support me whatever I wanted to do.
“I thought I needed to be playing and he agreed. I can’t thank him enough for supporting me and making me feel at ease. He told me to go out, enjoy my football and improve and, hopefully, I’ll return to West Ham a better player for him.”
“I would love to play in that team, under Manuel and his staff. It is a good team, a big talented squad, but I know I have to keep working hard every day.”
While Cullen may still have his heart set on a return to the London Stadium, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that he is simply not quite good enough for that to happen.
There is a reason why Pellegrini immediately sanctioned his loan exit from the club, and while there may still be a small chance of a return, the likelihood is that Cullen will be off permanently soon.
The midfielder is a tidy player, and one who could easily forge a successful career at Championship level, but at the moment it looks like the first-team at West Ham is a step too far, especially considering the direction the club is heading in.
Cullen is young, but at 22 years old he needs to be breaking into the first-team now if he wants any chance of remaining at his boyhood club.
While this may seem harsh, Cullen is simply setting himself up for heartbreak by longing for a return to West Ham in the summer, and that will unfortunately hit home very soon.