JOSH CULLEN COULD be set to make another temporary move away from West Ham United.
With the loan window in England due to close on 31 August, Charlton Athletic’s caretaker manager Lee Bowyer confirmed today that the Ireland U21 international is a target for the League One club.
Cullen has made nine first-team appearances for West Ham, the most recent of which came in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge back in April.
But having previously spent time on loan at Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers, the midfielder has admitted that he may be forced to leave the Premier League club again in order to find regular game-time.
“There have been conversations going on, but it’s not totally decided if I’m going or staying. At the minute I’m here and just taking each day as it comes and trying to impress the manager,” Cullen said.
“First and foremost I want to be playing in the West Ham first-team, but if he [Manuel Pellegrini] says to me ‘the right loan move is there, go out and get some games until January and then come back and we’ll look at it’, then that’s what I’ll do. Nothing’s been decided yet.”
Cullen made over 60 appearances for Bradford while on loan at the League One club between February 2016 and May 2017. Last season he played 12 times for Bolton in the Championship during a five month-spell.
“He is one we’re trying to bring in,” Lee Bowyer said this afternoon in relation to Cullen. “That is where we are short at the moment — midfield. We have not really got much cover there.”
He added: “Josh is definitely someone we’re interested in, for sure.”
Cullen is expected to be back on international duty next month when the Ireland U21s resume their European Championship qualification bid with games against Kosovo (7 September in Mitrovica) and Germany (11 September in Tallaght).
The 22-year-old has been a key player in the campaign, wearing the captain’s armband in all six games so far as Ireland trail group leaders Germany by just three points.
Noel King’s side also have the benefit of a game in hand as they seek to reach next year’s tournament in Italy and San Marino.
Cullen was named Ireland’s U21 player of the year for 2017.
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