Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has revealed he “encouraged” Callum Marshall to make a permanent summer switch to Luton Town to progress his career in senior football – and views it as a perfect “opportunity to kick on”.

Marshall joined Premier League outfit West Ham United from Linfield in January 2022 and impressed for the club’s youth teams – he netted 46 goals across 60 league appearances for the Hammers’ U18s and U21s.

However, Marshall was never given an extended senior opportunity – the Glengormley youngster was limited to just two Premier League outings last season with the London club failing to fight off relegation.

After loan moves to West Brom, Huddersfield – where he was named Player of the Year – and German outfit Bochum, Marshall took a leap last summer by departing West Ham on a permanent basis.

placeholder image — Northern Ireland's Callum Marshall in action for Luton Town against Chelsea earlier this season. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a solid start to life at Luton, who paid an undisclosed fee to secure Marshall’s services, scoring four goals in his first 13 League One matches, including in consecutive wins against Leicester City and Doncaster Rovers last month.

With striker still an area for improvement for an exciting young Northern Ireland squad, Marshall’s senior emergence could come at an ideal time for O’Neill.

Marshall has regularly been selected in O’Neill’s squads since making his debut against Denmark in June 2023, racking up 17 caps to date, but has generally been deployed as an impact sub – just four of his appearances have been from the start.

O’Neill has watched Marshall’s progression at Kenilworth Road closely and feels he’s made the correct career move.

"I encouraged him to make the move on a permanent basis because I think that you go through a loan scenario and it's difficult,” said O’Neill. “I have been on the other side of that as a manager and brought players in on loan...I know that sometimes it's not always in the best interest of the player.

"Callum going to Luton I think was positive...the fact that Jack (Wilshere, manager) really wanted him, they obviously had to pay a decent fee for him, and I think it's now down to Callum really.

"He's at a club that I think should suit him as a striker, Luton will have a lot of the ball in a lot of games in League One and it's the next step.

"Callum's already been in League One at Huddersfield and had a good loan, he then obviously had the situation at Bochum which was slightly different, and now he is at Luton.

"I think it's a perfect move for him, an opportunity to kick on and show people what he is.

"We know Callum is capable of scoring goals, so I suppose the ball is in his court now, I think he's made the right decision.

"I think when you go as a permanent player you're treated differently within the club a little bit as well, that's just the nature of it, and they will see Callum as someone that they believe can take them to the next level.

"He's certainly someone that has the potential to be a real asset for the club.”

Marshall is playing alongside Northern Ireland team-mate Jamie Donley at Luton – the Antrim-born attacker is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

O’Neill has viewed Donley as his best striker solution in recent times, starting in Northern Ireland’s last nine matches.

The 21-year-old is deployed in a deeper position for Luton, scoring four goals and providing three assists in 12 league appearances so far this term, but O’Neill insists the two scenarios aren’t comparable.

"He's playing in two different squads so it's what the squad needs,” added O’Neill. “I think that Jamie has played well for us as a nine.

"He's different in terms of what you might look for in a profile as a nine but he comes and links the play...I don't think you can compare the chances that he may get playing for Luton in League One.

"Luton are a strong team in League One whereas playing for Northern Ireland in Nations League, League B, they're not overly comparable.

"It's not down to position for Jamie, it's what he brings to the team, and I had good conversations with Jack on both Jamie and Callum.

"They're both starting to do very well for him, Luton are on a good run at this minute in time, and I think Jack's going to have a really bright future as a manager...I like the way his team plays.

"The most important thing for me is that Jamie comes in confident and the fact that he's scoring goals at his club can only help him regardless of what position we play him in.”