Jack Wilshere: Times are changing for West Ham under Manuel Pellegrini

James Benge24 July 2018

Jack Wilshere can sense the winds of change at West Ham under new manager Manuel Pellegrini.

The former Arsenal midfielder is one of seven new arrivals at the club since Pellegrini’s appointment in May, part of a spending spree of nearly £100million that has some West Ham fans dreaming of challenging the top six.

That would be a remarkable revival for a Hammers side that spent much of last season with the spectre of relegation looming large over them.

However, the team that takes the field on the opening day at Liverpool will look very different to the defensive lineup which David Moyes deployed.

Wilshere, club-record signing Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko have been recruited at considerable expense with the intention to restore the ‘West Ham Way’ to the Hammers football.

“Is there an air of change at the club? Yes, I think so,” Wilshere said.

“When you have a manager like Manuel, who has won titles in the Premier League and has managed top clubs across Europe, once he was appointed it was obvious the way the club wanted to go and I wanted to be part of that.”

Wilshere added: “Training is getting better and better. Now we can really get down to work and think about how we are going to start the season.

"There are a few new players but there are some others here that are West Ham through and through, like the captain, who has helped settle the new players into the club.

Getty Images

“We have got a big game for the first one of the season, Liverpool away, it's a difficult place to go but we'll be ready.”

Wilshere has arrived at West Ham hoping for the first team football Unai Emery could not guarantee him at Arsenal, and with the ambition of winning back his place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

In Pictures | Manuel Pellegrini signs for West Ham United

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He can certainly be assured of a central role in Pellegrini’s side.

“He's a very important player, not just because of his experience but because of his quality,” the new Hammers boss said.

“He's come from a winning club, he is used to playing [in the] Champions League, and that mentality now comes to West Ham and we need to use it to come to important times.”

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