There is likely to be a healthy West Ham United contingent at the 2026 World Cup, with Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta and El Hadji Malick Diouf likely to earn a seat on the respective planes of England, Brazil and Senegal.
And, both pre and post World Cups, the transfer market tends to take on a slightly different look.
Take Niclas Fullkrug, for instance.
Hammers News have been told that West Ham will only sell Fullkrug if a replacement arrives in January. Yet, he will know that leaving the London Stadium may be his only chance of salvaging his chances of earning a spot in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for next summer’s Festival of Football.
Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo are eyeing potential escape routes of their own, in the knowledge that they could miss the cut for both the Netherlands and England should they remain glued to the Manchester United bench.
On the other hand, Pablo Barrera sits among what many refer to as ‘World Cup signings’. Hitherto little-known players who secure themselves a move to a major league having caught the eye on a global stage.
West Ham United snapped up the jet-heeled winger in a £4 million deal from Pumas UNAM just a few weeks after his Mexico outfit had been dumped out of the 2010 tournament by Argentina.
But, while Barrera would make only 14 Premier League appearances for the Hammers, he does not regret joining a club who would suffer relegation under Avram Grant in his debut season. Instead, it is the nature of his departure that leaves Barrera with sleepless nights.
Pablo Barrera says leaving West Ham United is his ‘only regret’
While the likes of Julian Faubert did not see eye-to-eye with Avram Grant, Barrera is another who was denied the chance to make his mark under statistically West Ham’s worst manager in the Premier League era.
Barrera started a grand total of six games before moving on loan to Real Zaragoza.
If he had his time again though, the now-38-year-old former wideman would take a leaf out of Faubert’s book. Thus, seizing the chance to bounce back following the appointment of Sam Allardyce.
“The only thing I could have changed is pushing harder for my time in Europe,” Barrera explains, speaking to Mexican publication TUDN. “I had three more years on my contract [with West Ham United].
“That is the only regret I have, [leaving despite] those three years on my contract.”
Barrera, who accumulated 56 caps for El Tri, was actually offered the chance to return to East London following their dramatic play-off final victory over Blackpool at Wembley.
“I went to Spain for a year, but I still had three more years on my contract with West Ham,” he recalls. “They told me I could return without any problem, obviously to earn a place, but I made the decision to go to Cruz Azul. It’s the only regret I could have changed.
“The truth at that time was it was an economic issue. In the end, I made several proposals to Cruz Azul, thinking they wouldn’t accept them, and in the end they said yes. It was mainly for that reason.
“The only thing that stuck with me. To this day, my dad talks about it with me. He did tell me, ‘stay, stay’.”
Winston Reid says Sam Allardyce built his West Ham reputation
The aforementioned Faubert was not the only West Ham player who went from benchwarmer to cult hero once Allardyce brushed away the cobwebs which had gathered in Grant’s tenure.
Fan favourite Winston Reid credits Allardyce with saving his Hammers career on the back of a miserable maiden campaign. One wonders what Barrera would be saying had he made a similar decision.
“100 per cent [Allardyce improved me]. He made me way better than when I originally came to the club,” said Reid, who would win the Hammer of the Year award during the club’s first season back in the Premier League in 2012/13.
“The thing is with Sam, either you sort of thrive under his leadership or you don’t. You know how he is. He’s not strict because he has the other side of him as well. But he demands hard work, all these things. On the pitch, you’ve got to handle him shouting at you to do better.
“And you remember the meetings after [in the dressing room]. I’ve seen players crumble. When you came into those meetings, you didn’t want to be the one who messes up. It creates a bit of responsibility, calling people out. It’s good.
“He’s quite an imposing figure as well. A big boy! But, honestly, for me he was really, really good. I have nothing negative to say about him. He helped me in so many ways and, then outside the pitch, he would always have a joke with you.
“If you made a mistake, he would show you on the highlight clip on the Monday; ‘What the hell were you thinking?’.
“Even though he would have a pop at you on the pitch, he would always be good after.”
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