West Ham United may rue their decision to sell Josh Cullen to Anderlecht on Deadline Day one year ago, as the midfielder is thriving as a pivotal player under Vincent Kompany.
Cullen joined the Hammers in his youth and worked his way up their junior ranks between a string of loans. But chances to break through at the London Stadium proved out of reach for the 25-year-old. Who left English shores for Belgium last October to further his career.
The Jupiler Pro League outfit will feel they bagged a real bargain in the Republic of Ireland international. Anderlecht paid West Ham a mere £500,000 for Cullen, although the Irons also inserted a sell-on clause, per football.london.
Cullen left West Ham having featured just 10 times in their first-team and once under David Moyes after his return to the helm. Yet the Scot also offered the Westcliff-on-Sea-born star his most chances in claret-and-blue with five appearances during his first tenure.
Clearly, however, Cullen did not do enough to impress Moyes, despite West Ham extending his contract in January 2020. But new terms only avoided the midfielder leaving as a free agent, as did his move to Anderlecht, with the Irons product only committing to 2021.
Cullen is now showing at Anderlecht what West Ham continually overlooked as a pivotal part of Kompany’s side. The 12-cap international has amassed 44 appearances across all competitions, starting 37, since his arrival one year ago.
He has also opened all 14 available games so far this season and played the full 90-minutes in each encounter. Helping protect the Lotto Park outfit’s backline, but missing out on a Europa Conference League berth in the qualifying rounds.
Cullen standing out at Anderlecht 12-months after West ham exit
Cullen is one of the standout performers at Anderlecht, 12-months on from his Deadline Day transfer away from West Ham. His international displays have also led some Hammers supporters to question his departure, as he pulls the strings for club and country.
Kompany has also been full of praise for the Irish technician, who quickly stablished himself at Lotto Park. The Manchester City icon told DH Net in January: “He is never called the Man of the Match, but he is the most popular in the squad.
“Those who admire him the most for his work are his teammates. He has only one thing in mind: the team. His own person comes after, in the background. If the team wins, it’s because he did a lot of jobs that the others couldn’t do.”
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