There were some mixed messages out of the mouth of Callum Marshall this week as the West Ham United youngster looks to power VFL Bochum into the 2.Bundesliga promotion race.

On one hand, Marshall is putting his driving test in the rearview mirror until he returns to East London.

On the other, the Northern Ireland international is also not ruling out the prospect of extending his stay in Germany. If West Ham United do not consider him to be an integral part of their long-term plans, then Callum Marshall should have no qualms in considering his options.

Ollie Scarles is the only Youth Cup winner to establish himself… 🏆

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Three years after the Hammers beat Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup final, only Ollie Scarles has established himself as a regular first-team player. Marshall is one of those to have made the odd appearance – Nuno Espirito Santo gave the striker his debut against Arsenal in October – but he will now have further competition to contend with following the dual January signings of Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos.

Furthermore, his contract is due to expire in the summer of 2027.

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Callum Marshall is not ruling out leaving West Ham United for Bochum

Speaking to German publication BILD, then, the former West Brom and Huddersfield Town loanee sounds very much like a man keeping all the options open.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” Marshall said when asked if a permanent switch to Bochum could be on the cards. “When I was 17 [at Linfield], I thought I’d play in Ireland for the rest of my career.

“Two months later, I was at West Ham United. Everything can change so quickly. I get along well with my teammates. We’ll see what happens next.

“I don’t have a driver’s license yet. There isn’t as much traffic in Belfast as there is here in Germany. I’m not going to get my license here,” the 21-year-old also said with a smile.

“They drive on the other side of the road. Having to take that into account would be a bit too much. I’d rather wait until I’m back in England.”

Of course, Marshall will return to England following the end of the 2025/26 campaign. How long for is anybody’s guess. If Bochum can force their way into the promotion battle, and then the Bundesliga, then who knows what the future holds?

Marshall loves playing at Bochum’s Vonovia Ruhrstadion

While scoring on his Bochum debut in a 3-3 with Darmstadt a month ago, the West Ham kid made an ‘exceptional’ first impression on former Leeds and Brentford head coach Uwe Rosler.

Former Under-21 boss Steve Keen feels there are similarities between Marshall and a young Harry Kane. The way he took that chance in a six-goal thriller, a deft lob over the goalkeeper, was one the Bundesliga’s leading marksman would have been very proud of.

“Only true fans, those who love their club, come to this stadium,” Marshall told Revier Sport in January after his debut goal was greeted by rapturous applause from 27,000 fans at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion.

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“The Olympic Stadium in London, where West Ham plays, is much bigger and more spacious with its running track. There’s a different atmosphere there. In Bochum, the stadium is compact, so you can really make some noise. And the fans do that fantastically well.

“Uwe showed me that he really wanted me on his team. As a professional, you always want to play, but that’s even more true for a loan player. The coach made it clear that he would support me. That was crucial for me to come to Bochum,” added Marshall, who probably would have featured against Burton Albion in Saturday’s fourth round FA Cup clash.

“They told me very specifically where they see me in the team, how they plan to use me, and how I can help. They also told me about the great atmosphere in the stadium and the club. That impressed me.

“In Bochum, there are many young players who also get playing time. That was important for me.

“Of course, I was a little apprehensive about the foreign language and culture. But I’ve settled in well here and I feel very comfortable. I hope it continues like this.”