West Ham United striker Callum Marshall has made a very good first impression at VFL Bochum while George Earthy was so impressive at Bristol City last season that they are welcoming him back with open arms.
From Freddie Potts at Portsmouth to Patrick Kelly at League Two title-winners Doncaster Rovers, the Hammers have picked up a very handy knack of securing the right loans at the right time for their brightest young talent in recent times.
Carlton Cole, the former striker who now works as West Ham United’s Loans and Pathways Manager, certainly deserved any festive bonus which may have come his way.
As Cole labels Mohamadou Kante the ‘shining beacon’ of the 2025/26 vintage, he is likely to have a big role to play in the Frenchman’s development too as EFL suitors queue up outside the London Stadium.
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Junior Robinson, though, is one of relatively few Hammers starlets for whom a short-term loan spell did not have the desired effect.
Robinson barely featured for David Martindale’s Livingston in the first half of the campaign. So when it emerged last week that the right-back would have his temporary deal terminated a few months ahead of schedule, surprise was in short supply.
Livingston boss admits West Ham United decided to terminate Junior Robinson deal
Robinson, who has been capped by England at youth level, played only 14 minutes of Scottish Premiership football. His one and only appearance came off the bench in a 2-1 defeat by resurgent Rangers in November.
Opportunities became even more scarce when Livingston snapped up the highly-experienced former Eredivisie stalwart Josh Brenet on a free transfer.
As of Friday afternoon, then, Robinson returns south of the border and will instead spend the remainder of 2025/26 at Boreham Wood in the National League.
“I had dialogue with West Ham in early December, with a view to them looking to recall Junior due to his lack of playing time,” Martindale told reporters shortly before Robinson officially departed the team stuck at the very bottom of Scotland’s top-flight.
“I was keen to keep him for the rest of the season as I felt he would have played more in the second half of the campaign, but nothing is guaranteed.
“I think it’s only fair that we agree to let Junior return to West Ham to potentially get back out on loan somewhere else, and back playing every week as he is a young player with a lot of potential.”
Robinson follows in Finlay Herrick’s footsteps at Boreham Wood
Boreham Wood are second in the National League table, two points behind Carlisle, and are dreaming of reaching the EFL for the first time.
After West Ham terminated Finlay Herrick’s Boreham Wood stint back in October – the goalkeeper kept five clean sheets in ten matches but returned to Rush Green ahead of schedule following an injury to Lukasz Fabianski – Robinson’s arrival may make the ambitious Hertfordshire outfit feel a little bit better about their relationship with the London giants.
Nuno confirmed ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup clash with Queens Park Rangers that the aforementioned George Earthy will leave on loan again following some stellar displays for the Under-21s in recent months.
The gifted playmaker earned Bristol City’s Young Player of the Year award at Ashton Gate in May, and returns looking to pick up where he left off.
“Eventually, there are players that have to leave,” Nuno said. “We are being really direct and honest for them to look at the best options.
“For example, Earthy needs to play. He needs minutes to develop. We are trying to find out the best solutions for all our players.”
Callum Marshall has made an ‘exceptional’ impression at VFL Bochum, meanwhile. A 2.Bundesliga debut should come the way of the tireless striker this weekend against Darmstadt.
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