West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini believes new signing Jack Wilshere has “many years of football” left in him.
The England midfielder signed a three-year deal to join the Hammers on Monday after leaving Arsenal at the end of his contract.
Wilshere, 26, has struggled with injuries in recent years but enjoyed one of his most consistent seasons for some time during the last campaign and Pellegrini feels he will prove to be an astute signing for West Ham.
“At 26, he still has many years of football in front of him, and I believe he will be a great asset for us,” he told the club’s website.
Wilshere, a boyhood West Ham fan, opted against signing a new contract at Arsenal after a conversation with new head coach Unai Emery.
He claimed Emery said his playing time at the Emirates Stadium would be “significantly reduced” and so took the decision to end his 17-year association with the Gunners and head across London.
“We are very happy to welcome Jack to West Ham United and I look forward to working with him, starting at our training camp here in Switzerland,” added Pellegrini, who took over at the London Stadium in May
“Jack is a player with excellent technical ability, combined with great energy and commitment, and has proven his quality both in the Premier League and at international level.
“Most importantly, he is hungry to play for West Ham, and determined to reproduce the level of performance that he has shown in the past.”
