Guernsey Press

New West Ham boss Pellegrini: I haven’t finished in transfer market yet

West Ham’s aggressive summer transfer policy has seen them spend almost £100million on seven new players.

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New West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini insists he is not finished in the transfer market yet.

West Ham’s aggressive summer transfer policy has seen them spend almost £100million on seven new players including £40million marquee signing Felipe Anderson.

But former Manchester City boss Pellegrini wants co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold to splash even more cash.

The Hammers are currently without Manuel Lanzini, Andy Carroll and Winston Reid through injury while Spanish midfielder Pedro Obiang looks set to move to Sampdoria.

Pellegrini said: “We are trying to build a strong squad. The Premier League is not easy. You don’t just need to have a team – you need to have a squad.

“For the moment we have seven new players but we have three important players injured. So in the last days that we have time to bring in players, we will try to build as strong a squad as we can.

“We are working together with the board and will see how much money we have now, but we are working and we are building a strong squad.

Manuel Pellegrini (right)
Manuel Pellegrini (right) left his role at Hebei China Fortune to accept the challenge of reviving West Ham (Adam Davy/PA)

Pellegrini, a Premier League title winner with City in 2014, left his role at Hebei China Fortune to accept the challenge of reviving a West Ham side who flirted with relegation under Slaven Bilic and then David Moyes last season.

“There are lots of reasons why I accepted the offer of West Ham. I know what West Ham is in English football,” he added.

“I know that they need to improve so it’s a challenge for me also, and in the first conversation I had with David Sullivan and Karren Brady, they convinced me they had a very good project here and they wanted me to be in front. That’s when I decide to take it.

“I know West Ham fans always like attractive, offensive football so maybe that was one of the reasons why the owner brought me in to manage the team.”

Pellegrini was joined at his official unveiling by Anderson and Jack Wilshere, who has joined his boyhood club after leaving Arsenal at the end of last season.

“When I decided to leave Arsenal, and other times on loan, I always asked my agent if there was interest from West Ham,” revealed the England midfielder.

“This time, West Ham were interested and when I spoke with Manuel, it was an easy decision.”

Brazilian playmaker Anderson, signed from Lazio, revealed he had also taken a keen interest in the club from afar.

“I have watched a lot of the Premier League before and have been following players at West Ham like Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez for a while,” he said.

“When the offer came I was very interested in it. Also to have a manager such as Manuel, someone like him to be interested in me, it seemed like a perfect place to come.”

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