Daily WHUFC News - 23rd may 2018

Pellegrini: I am excited about the West Ham project
WHUFC.com

Manuel Pellegrini has outlined his philosophy to turn West Ham United into an exciting, winning team after being appointed Hammers manager. The Chilean, who has become West Ham's 17th permanent manager on a three-year contract, spoke of his vision for a team which will enthuse the Claret and Blue Army throughout his tenure. Speaking for the first time following his appointment, Pellegrini said he felt wanted by the Hammers and outlined his ambitions for a successful future which he shares with Joint-Chairman David Sullivan and the Club's supporters. "I'm very happy because I return to a league that, for me, and I always say the same thing, is the best league in the world, and especially because I come here to West Ham because every time I spoke with the owner Mister Sullivan, I always had the feeling that he wants me," said the 64-year-old, whose track record throughout a 30-year managerial career is truly outstanding. "I think that West Ham had a difficult season last season and I hope that next season we are going to play football that will delight the fans. I always play attacking football and we must try to reach important targets in the season. "Every time you have a meeting you have feelings about whether it was a good meeting or a bad meeting and I had the meeting with him, just talking about football and talking about West Ham. We agreed on a lot of things he wants for this Club in the way I think a football club must be managed, so we have a lot of common ideas."

Pellegrini has lifted trophies on two difference continents and led Manchester City to the Premier League title in his first season in English football in 2013/14, scoring a record 151 goals across all competitions in the process. Prior to that, he enjoyed a storied playing career in his homeland and led Spanish sides Villarreal and Malaga to the UEFA Champions League knockout stages and managed La Liga giants Real Madrid. After a successful two-year spell in Chinese football, Pellegrini has returned to Europe, where he enjoyed almost unrivalled success during 12 seasons managing some of Spain and England's biggest clubs.

Now, the Santiago-born coach's only focus is on improving West Ham's standing in the Premier League – a competition he labelled the 'best in the world'. "I am excited about this project. My mentality is always to have a winning mentality and I will hope that I can repeat here what I did with all my clubs here in Europe, where I have always arrived in European competition. "I know that this league is very good and it's not easy to do it, but I think that working all together with the owners, the technical staff and the fans, we have an important power and can think about reaching important targets for the season. "I think West Ham has a very good team. I know all of the players and I saw most of the games that they played last season, so I am sure that, with the players we have in this moment in the squad, and bringing maybe another four or five players in, we are going to have a strong team."

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Meet 'The Engineer' – Who is West Ham United's new manager?
WHUFC.com

West Ham United have appointed one of the finest managerial minds in Premier League history in Manuel Pellegrini. The 64-year-old led Manchester City to the title in his first season in English football and ended his three-year spell with the Sky Blues with a 61.4% win percentage – the fifth-highest in the competition's 25-year existence. But Pellegrini's outstanding record in the Premier League is just one of the reasons West Ham supporters are so excited about his appointment as the Club's 17th permanent manager. Manuel Luis Pellegrini Ripamonti's football life began 45 years ago in 1973, when he embarked on a one-club playing career in his home city of Santiago with Universidad de Chile – the same institution from which he graduated with a degree in civil engineering in 1979. A centre-back, Pellegrini the player made 451 appearances for La U between 1973 and 1986, winning the Copa Chile in 1979, and was good enough to earn 28 caps for his country.

After hanging up his boots, Pellegrini the coach began life with Universidad before making his name in club management in his homeland in the 1990s, taking charge of Palestino, O'Higgins and Universidad Catolica and winning the Copa Interamericana and Copa Chile with the latter. Pellegrini moved across border to Bolivia to manage LDU Quito, leading Los Azucenas to the Serie A title and the knockout stages of the Copa Libertadores – South America's equivalent of the UEFA Champions League – in 1999, where they were eliminated on penalties by Argentinian giants River Plate. That run brought the talented manager to the attention of the continent's biggest clubs and he would move to Buenos Aires in 2001, first with San Lorenzo and, the following year, River Plate.

In 2004, Pellegrini crossed the Atlantic Ocean to join Spanish side Villarreal, where he took a club which had been in the top flight for just five seasons in their history into Europe in five straight seasons, and reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals on their very first appearance in the competition in 2005/06.
A club from a city with just 50,000 inhabitants, The Yellow Submarine became known the world over for their bright-coloured shirts and the outstanding team Pellegrini moulded, including the likes of Juan Roman Riquelme, Diego Forlan, Marcos Senna and future West Ham striker Guillermo Franco. In June 2009, Pellegrini was appointed Real Madrid manager, signing Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso in the months which followed. Under the Chilean, Real amassed a then-record 96 points in La Liga. Pellegrini's next challenge saw him take over Malaga, leading the club to a record-high fourth in the table in 2011/12 and the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals in his final season in charge.

Those achievements, among his many others, saw Manchester City move to bring Pellegrini to the Premier League in 2013, and he responded by winning the title in his first season. With the likes of Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Edin Dzeko scoring freely, City netted more than 150 goals in all competitions on their way to winning the Premier League and League Cup. Over the next two seasons, Pellegrini's City finished in the top four and reached the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, adding a second League Cup in 2016. Two years ago, the South American embarked on a new adventure in the Chinese Super League with Hebei China Fortune in the city of Langfang in north eastern China. There, he led a club which was only formed in 2010 to fourth in the table last season.

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Ten things you probably didn't know about Manuel Pellegrini
WHUFC.com

Manuel Pellegrini has been confirmed as West Ham United's new manager, becoming the 17th permanent boss in the Club's illustrious history. The 64-year-old brings a wealth of experience to London Stadium. Here are ten facts about the Chilean that you may not be aware of:

1) He was a one-club player

A defender during his playing days, Manuel Pellegrini signed for Club Universidad de Chile in 1973, having spent his time as a youth player with Audax Italiano.
Pellegrini would spend his entire playing career with Universidad de Chile, making a total of 451 appearances for the side, scoring seven goals in that period.
Pellegrini says he made the decision to retire in 1986 because a young Ivan Zamorano beat him to the ball in a duel in a Copa Chile contest, although had he known the player Zamorano would become, "I might not have quit so soon".

2) Why Pellegrini is called 'The Engineer'

It's not just a nickname given to the manager because of his preferred style of football. Manuel Pellegrini actually has a degree in Civil Engineering, having graduated with a degree from the Pontifical Catholic University in Chile. Pellegrini has put that degree to good use, too. In 1985, earthquakes in central Chile had damaged a large number of buildings, and Pellegrini put his knowledge to work by helping with the rebuilding.

3) He's a Champions League semi-finalist

Pellegrini made his first move into coaching in Europe in 2004, when he joined Villarreal, and it took him less than two seasons to guide the side to the Champions League semi-finals. The 2005/06 campaign saw the Chilean's side make it to the last four of the European competition, only to lose out to Arsenal by one goal.
In the 2012/13 season Pellegrini also took Malaga to the Champions League quarter-finals, losing out to Borussia Dortmund to a last-minute goal. This achievement means Pellegrini is the only manager to take two different teams to the Champions League quarter-finals, or further, in their debut season in the competition.

4) He's won four league titles in three different countries

Pellegrini's managerial career has seen the Chilean coach in his native country, Ecuador, Argentina, Spain, England and China. He has claimed league titles in three of those nations. The first came in Ecuador, when the 64-year-old guided LDU Quto to the Primera Categoría Serie A in 1999. Next, Pellegrini would find success in Argentina, as the coach led both San Lorenzo and River Plate to victories in the Primera División, winning the league title twice in three years. Most recently, Pellegrini took Manchester City to their second Premier League title, winning the English top flight in the 2013/14 season. Overall, the Chilean has won ten trophies as a manager across his clubs.

5) He was Real Madrid manager when Cristiano Ronaldo was signed

In June 2009, Pellegrini was appointed manager of Spanish giants Real Madrid. With the Chilean at the helm, Madrid went on a recruitment spree that would help the side return to the top of European football. Kaka was brought in from AC Milan, Karim Benzema was signed from Lyon, and Xabi Alonso returned to Spain from Liverpool. The pinnacle of the transfer activity, however, was the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United, for a then-world record transfer fee. The Portuguese superstar has gone on to break numerous records for Real Madrid, winning four of his five Ballon d'Ors with the side while also becoming the club's all-time top goalscorer.

6) Pellegrini set points records with both Real Madrid and Malaga

Pellegrini would spend one year with Real Madrid, missing out on the La Liga title by three points in that only season, but the Chilean's Spanish side set a club points record in that time. In that 2009/10 campaign, Real Madrid collected 96 points, the most the Spanish side had ever achieved up to that point. Pellegrini would repeat the feat in his next job, with Malaga. In his first full season with the team, the manager took the club to fourth-place in La Liga, earning 58 points.

7) The first Chilean manager in Premier League history

Manchester City confirmed Pellegrini's arrival in England in 2013, with the coach taking over from Roberto Mancini at the Premier League side. With the appointment, Pellegrini became the first ever Chilean manager to take charge of a Premier League side, while also being only the fourth coach South America to manage in the division. The other three were Luiz Felipe Scolari, Osvaldo Ardiles and Mauricio Pochettino prior to Pellegrini joining City.

8) The only non-European coach to win the Premier League

On the final day of his first season with Manchester City, Pellegrini's team claimed the Premier League title, securing their second trophy of the campaign. At the time, that result saw Pellegrini became the first coach from outside Europe to lift the top title in the English game. It's a record that still stands, with Portuguese, Italian and Spanish coaches winning the Premier League since

9) Four-time Manager of the Month winner

During his three years with Manchester City, Manuel Pellegrini claimed four Manager of the Month awards. Two came in quick succession for the Chilean, with Pellegrini being awarded the December 2013 and January 2014 awards after his side won eight of their nine league games in the two months.
Another followed in December 2014 for five wins out of six in the Premier League, while the final one came after four wins out of four in the first month of the 2015/16 campaign. Pellegrini is tied with the likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Mauricio Pochettino with four, with only 11 managers in Premier League history claiming more.

10) He has the seventh-best win record in Premier League history

Statistically, only six managers in Premier League history have claimed a higher percentage of wins in their matches than Pellegrini. The new West Ham boss has claimed wins in 61.4% of his 114 matches in charge in the English top flight, and when he departed Manchester City in 2016 his win record sat at the fifth highest ever in the Premier League. Since then, Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola have achieved slightly better records at Chelsea and Manchester City respectively, but Pellegrini still sits in a more than respectable seventh in the rankings, with only the named duo and Manchester United's Jose Mourinho above him and active in the Premier League.

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Pellegrini is #17
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 22nd May 2018
By: Staff Writer

Manuel Pellegrini has been confirmed as the new manager of West Ham United FC. The 64-year-old Chilean, who was last in the Premier League with Manchester City has signed a three-year deal to lead the Hammers into the 2020s. And he was welcomed to West Ham by co-chairman David Sullivan, who told whufc.com: "I am delighted to welcome Manuel Pellegrini to West Ham United. He is one of the world's most respected football coaches and we look forward to working with him.
"It was important that we appointed someone with knowledge and experience of the Premier League, who already has an understanding – not only of the teams and players we face – but of West Ham United and our ambitions. "Manuel brings a reputation for attacking football and getting the best out of his players. We believe he will attract new talent to the London Stadium as well as improving the current squad. "Above all, he is a winner, who knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level and is driven to continue that success. "Manuel is the first West Ham United manager to have a Premier League title on his CV, and we believe that his experience, quality and proven record of taking teams forward quickly will ensure that he is successful here. "We have listened to fans who asked us to be ambitious. We hope they agree it is an exciting appointment. Manuel will shortly announce the names of the new staff he will bring in and he will then get down to shaping the squad he wants. We all wish him the very best of luck."

Pellegrini becomes the club's 17th full-time manager - the 10th since KUMB first went online 21 years ago.

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New home shirt revealed?
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 22nd May 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham fans were given a taste of the 2018/19 home kit this morning when new manager Manuel Pellegrini was pictured with what appears to be the club's new replica shirt.

The 64-year-old Chilean was officially unveiled as West Ham United's new manager this morning, having signed a three-year contract with the club. And deliberately intended or otherwise, he gave Hammers fans a cheeky glimpse of what is thought to be the club's new replica home shirt when posing for one stock image - as you can see above. Emblazoned with the nickname 'Irons', the new shirt appears to follow the new Umbro template as seen below with the new Everton shirt. West Ham United's 2018/19 home kit is expected to be unveiled sometime next month.

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Pellegrini wants 'delightful' football
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 22nd May 2018
By: Staff Writer

Pele may have brought the beautiful game to the world, but new West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini wants to entertain Hammers fans with delightful football! Whilst the fayre offered by the Hammers last season could in no way be described as o jogo bonito, the club's new manager wants to bring entertaining football to the masses.
Speaking in his first interview since accepting West Ham's offer, Pellegrini insisted that he wants to bring attacking football to east London - with European qualification an immediate target - adding that he wants to introduce "four or five" new signings during the summer transfer window. "West Ham had a difficult season last season and I hope that next season we are going to play football that will delight the fans," he told the club's website. "I always play attacking football and we must try to reach important targets in the season. "My mentality is always to have a winning mentality and I will hope that I can repeat here what I did with all my clubs here in Europe, where I have always arrived in European competition. "I know that this league is very good and it's not easy to do it, but I think that working together with the owners, the technical staff and the fans, we have an important power and can think about reaching important targets for the season. "I know all of the players and I saw most of the games that they played last season, so I am sure that, with the players we have in this moment in the squad, and bringing maybe another four or five players in, we are going to have a strong team."

Pellegrini also revealed that he was delighted to be returning to England, where he won the Premier League with Manchester City in 2013. "I'm very happy because I return to a league that, for me, is the best league in the world," he added. "And because every time I spoke with Mr Sullivan, I always had the feeling that he wants me."

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Manuel Pellegrini needs funds to improve West Ham squad, says Tony Gale
By Sam Johnston
Last Updated: 22/05/18 9:54am
SSN

West Ham need to provide Manuel Pellegrini with a transfer budget big enough to significantly improve the squad if his appointment is to be a success, according to Tony Gale. Manuel Pellegrini's appointment will only be successful if West Ham back it up with investment in their playing squad, according to Tony Gale. The Hammers announced Pellegrini's return to the Premier League on Tuesday morning after the Chilean signed a three-year contract. Pellegrini will become the highest-paid manager in the club's history. It is understood he will receive around £7m a year, although he will be taking a significant pay cut having earned around £16m a year in China. "I'll only be happy when West Ham release the funds to buy players because I think managers are only as good as the players that they're dealing with," Gale said. "I just hope this isn't a smokescreen by the West Ham board to sign a 'profile manager', so that they don't have to buy players.
"Okay, he's going to become the highest paid West Ham manager in history but there's lots of money in the West Ham coffers and they need to spend it as well."

Pellegrini, who won the Premier League with Manchester City in 2013-14, has spent the past two years with Hebei China Fortune. He inherits a side which finished a turbulent Premier League campaign 13th, having flirted with relegation up until the final weeks of the season. Slaven Bilic was dismissed in November with the Hammers in the bottom three, before David Moyes was brought in to steady the ship. Moyes achieved his target of steering the east London club to safety, but the way he did it was not deemed enough for the West Ham board to offer him an extension. Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini carried much of the attacking load under Moyes and Gale is adamant his former club must hang on to their star performers, as well as adding new faces. "What they've got to do is not sell their best players," Gale said. "The likes of Lanzini and Arnautovic to maybe fund the surgery of the team. They need to add to those good players. Hopefully, the signing of Pellegrini will make sure that those players stay there."

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A BIG WEST HAM WELCOME TO MANUEL PELLEGRINI
By Iain Dale 22 May 2018 at 09:02
WTID

It was announced at 8am that Manuel Pelligrini is our new manager. I cannot believe there is any West Ham fan that won't want to join us all on this site in welcoming him to the club. He's a quality manager with a superb track record. Yes he's proved to be quite an expensive acquisition but if you want quality you have to pay for it. We know he plays the type of football we like and it will be interesting to see who he recruits in the next couple of months.

Announcing the signing on WHUFC.com, Co-chairman David Sullivan said…

"I am delighted to welcome Manuel Pellegrini to West Ham United. He is one of the world's most respected football coaches and we look forward to working with him. It was important that we appointed someone with knowledge and experience of the Premier League, who already has an understanding – not only of the teams and players we face – but of West Ham United and our ambitions. Manuel brings a reputation for attacking football and getting the best out of his players. We believe he will attract new talent to the London Stadium as well as improving the current squad. Above all, he is a winner, who knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level and is driven to continue that success. Manuel is the first West Ham United manager to have a Premier League title on his CV, and we believe that his experience, quality and proven record of taking teams forward quickly will ensure that he is successful here. We have listened to fans who asked us to be ambitious. We hope they agree it is an exciting appointment. Manuel will shortly announce the names of the new staff he will bring in and he will then get down to shaping the squad he wants. We all wish him the very best of luck."

Given some of the managers we have endured in our recent history, this really is a move towards the so-called 'next level'. But let's have a bit of patience. It wll take a bit of time for him to bed in and get the players he wants. If we finish in the top half next season, that would be a result. We cannot expect instant success. So let's get behind our new manager and wish him well.

And it's not often that this is said, but well done to David Sullivan. He's played a blinder here.

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WHO TO KEEP AND WHO TO SELL?
By Tony Hanna 22 May 2018 at 08:00
WTID

I am writing this week's article assuming Manuel Pellegrini will be announced within the next few days as the new manager of West Ham United. If rumours are to be believed the new man will get around a 60m transfer kitty plus any incoming monies from player sales to spend on new arrivals. Some fans have called for a mass clear out within the squad but I doubt very much whether that will happen – at least to the degree some might wish for. Others, like myself, can see the validity of moving on a more manageable number of players and here are my thoughts on which ones we should keep and which ones we should move on. It is all hypothetical so feel free to agree or disagree. When the window shuts prior to the first game of the season I will follow up this article with one that critiques the present views.

Goalkeepers

I would keep Adrian. It will depend on the full transfer kitty available whether there is value in paying 20-30m for a new keeper when there are much greater priorities with regard to strengthening the team. We will definitely have to spend some dosh on at least an understudy unless Pellegrini identifies a good loan or a free transfer move in the market. Despite Hart enjoying some of his best years under Pellegrini at City, it would be a huge surprise if his loan deal at the Hammers was renewed by his old boss. Youngster Trott will inevitably be kept as third choice.

Defenders

Zabaletta still has one year to go on his contract. He is another player who played in Man City's title win under Pellegrini. It makes little sense to sell at this point of time as even if the manager wants to sign a first choice right back, Zab would make a great back up – keep. I doubt any West Ham fan wants the club to sell Rice but there may be quite a few that would move Reid on given his injury record. However, with a lucrative long term contract in his pocket I doubt very much that he is going anywhere, but we did manage to move both Fonte and Ayew to pastures new in the last window so never say never! I would sell – if the opportunity arose. Players who have hamstring problems, especially later in their careers, will spend more time in "physio room" than on the pitch. Antonio, who will feature later in this article is another player who falls into this category. Ogbonna had an excellent season and will be a keep for me. There is a lot of sentiment for James Collins at the moment and quite rightly so. On a small contract with bonuses for appearances, I would – keep. Based on tweets from ex players in the past few days though, confirming Ginge was let go, I doubt he will be in the equation for next season. Cresswell is an interesting one. He has been poor at full back in recent times but can deliver a good cross and free kick. Since moving next to Ogbonna in a back three he has performed much better and he does seem to have built a good understanding with Masuaku. I am on the fence a bit with "Cressy" but I have my suspicions that the new boss may want to play four at the back and on that basis I would – sell. On to Masuaku and before his indiscretion at Wigan he was fast becoming a fan favourite. Arthur had been in most fans top three picks for HOTY at the time. We missed his drive forward for six matches but he is no left back either and if he is to remain a first team regular under Pellegrini it would probably be as a left sided midfielder – keep. Byram comes under the Reid and Antonio banner – sell.

Midfielders

Noble will not be sold but if Pellegrini spends big on two quality midfielders it could relegate Mark to becoming a fringe player. It will be interesting to see how this situation pans out. Kouyate was one of the first names on the team sheet a few seasons ago but since Payet's departure his performances have become inconsistent and erratic. There is no doubt he still has the engine but whether he has the ball control and skills required in a Pellegrini midfield is doubtful. There is still a good fee to be had so – sell. Pellegrini's arrival will almost certainly whet the appetite of fellow South American Lanzini. In an advanced role behind Arnautovic, and when fully fit, it is an exciting combination. Keep. Mario's loan deal is now over and if we can get the player on another loan deal, or buy at around 20-25m I would – buy. Young Fernandes is another who missed much of the season with injury. We did see what a good player he could become in the match at home to Southampton, but there have been too many other games where he has not delivered. He still makes a good squad player – keep. Obiang is another who has had injury problems over the past two seasons. Fit and at his best he is ok, but is he really at the level we need to be if we want to become a top ten team? I doubt it –sell. Antonio is bordering on the midfield or the striker section. I was excited with his arrival from Forest after seeing his rampaging runs, tearing apart Championship defences. We have seen some cameos of the same at West Ham but too often he has been played out of position. Right back or right wing back exposes his defensive weaknesses and whilst he scares the death out of centre backs when he has played as a striker, his finishing and final ball options are often poor. He reminds me a bit of Ayew in that – 'what really is his best position' – and for me it is wide right of an attacking three and I doubt we will ever play that formation. Given he would command a good fee and taking into consideration his hamstring problems –sell. Robert Snodgrass has been on loan at Aston Villa and I would be surprised if West Ham knocked back any acceptable offer considering certain unwise twitter comments that were made public earlier on in the season. Sell.

Forwards This will be interesting! Arnautovic, our top scorer and HOTY is an obvious keep. I doubt too many will disagree. Hugill is one of the strangest signings since Savio. Good judges I know who have actually seen him play more than late substitution roles tell me his control and first touch is to put it mildly, not that good. Perhaps he was a security blanket signing should we have got relegated, I don't know. Whatever we can get for him – sell. Now to the two players who will probably cause the most disagreement between our readers. Andy Carroll. We all know his injury record and we all know how good he can be at his best. The much maligned striker only has one more year of what was initially a very lucrative contract to run. He will be a free agent after this next season and I would suggest any suiter's would have to cough up around 10-15m should they want to buy during this summer window. This really is one I am on the fence with but at a push I would – keep. Hernandez is probably one that will divide opinions even more. Right from day one I was one of the few that doubted he would be a success at West Ham. I wrote the same in an article at the time and even made bets with fellow fans that he would not achieve goal targets. Yet some fans believe he is the best striker we have had in years and it was down to Moyes and Bilic not playing him in the right position or system that saw him have a season he would like to forget. In reality, in today's PL is he ever going to be anything more than a super sub? That is what football is often all about – opinions. My opinion is –sell. I doubt either Carroll or Hernandez will be happy at the thought that they probably won't be automatic starters next season. It was doubted that the latter would stay at the club because of this and he would push for a move but under Pellegrini I think it more likely that AC may be sold and Hernandez be assured of more game time. I watched a youtube clip of Pellegrini the other day and he stated that he believed that there were three things he needed to install in the players minds at clubs he managed. One of those things was to make all players in the squad realise and accept that they all had an important role in the team, even if they weren't being selected. All the players need to believe in a common goal, where everyone feels important. The video is below.

Youngsters Oxford and Burke are ones where I would grab any reasonable fee we can. The former's attitude appears to be a problem and the latter needs to be moved on for the good of his own career in my opinion. Cullen, Haksabanovic, Browne and Quina will most likely be given more time as squad players and it will be interesting to see what lies ahead for Samuelson and Martinez. In my "sell" choices there are only two players who played regularly in the second half of the season, Cresswell and Kouyate and I would imagine we would get around 30m for the pair. Senior players who either spent too much time on the bench or in the physio room could command up to 65m. They were Reid, Obiang, Antonio and Hernandez. Out on loan player Snodgrass may fetch 10m. Fringe players and youngsters in Byram, Hugill, Oxford and Burke could possibly collect 25m. I doubt all those players mentioned would be moved on, but if they were Pellegrini's 60m transfer kitty would be bolstered to around 190m to buy around eight or nine new players. Considering that I would imagine we would also still be looking for a few loan deals and possibly some "frees", I reckon our new manager has got a good platform from which to work from.

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West Ham transfer news: Insider reveals one player who will be at the club next season
WEST HAM boss Manuel Pellegrini won't sell Javier Hernandez this summer, according to a club insider.
By JACK WILSON
PUBLISHED: 18:15, Tue, May 22, 2018 | UPDATED: 18:23, Tue, May 22, 2018
Daily Express

West Ham transfer news: Javier Hernandez won't be sold by Manuel Pellegrini. The Hammers completed the £16million signing of Hernandez from German club Bayer Leverkusen last summer, handing him a three-year contract. But it was a season to forget for the Mexican with 12 of his 28 appearances coming from the bench. It's led to questions over his future but those may have been put to bed by respected Twitter in-the-know @ExWHUemployee. Asked whether Hernandez was staying, @ExWHUemployee replied: "Yes apparently he will do as he wants to make him in important player for us." Pellegrini has targeted "four or five" signings to launch a blueprint of attacking football at West Ham. The former Manchester City manager has signed a three-year deal as West Ham boss, succeeding David Moyes at the Hammers' helm. Now the 64-year-old will set to work on dragging West Ham back up the Premier League table, following this season's 13th-place finish. "I think West Ham has a very good team. I know all of the players and I saw most of the games that they played last season," said Pellegrini. "So I am sure that, with the players we have in this moment in the squad, and bringing maybe another four or five players in, we are going to have a strong team. "I am excited about this project. I know that this league is very good and it's not easy to do it, but I think that working all together with the owners, the technical staff and the fans, we have an important power and can think about reaching important targets for the season. "I think that West Ham had a difficult season last season and I hope that next season we are going to play football that will delight the fans. "I always play attacking football and we must try to reach important targets in the season."
Former Manchester United boss Moyes replaced Slaven Bilic in November and led the Hammers away from the relegation zone to a 13th-place Premier League finish. But West Ham's board quickly opted not to retain the Scot's services, and have now installed Pellegrini instead. The Hammers' new Chilean boss led Manchester City to the Premier League title in 2014, with the Citizens blasting a record 151 goals in all competitions that season. Pellegrini believes he shares a common vision for West Ham's future with the club's joint chairman David Sullivan. "Every time I spoke with the owner Mr Sullivan, I always had the feeling that he wants me," Pellegrini told West Ham's official club website. "Every time you have a meeting you have feelings about whether it was a good meeting or a bad meeting and I had the meeting with him, just talking about football and talking about West Ham. "We agreed on a lot of things he wants for this club in the way I think a football club must be managed, so we have a lot of common ideas."
Pellegrini left Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune over the weekend and Sullivan has hailed his appointment in east London. "I am delighted to welcome Manuel Pellegrini to West Ham United, he is one of the world's most respected football coaches and we look forward to working with him," said Sullivan in a West Ham statement. "It was important that we appointed someone with knowledge and experience of the Premier League, who already has an understanding - not only of the teams and players we face - but of West Ham United and our ambitions. "Manuel brings a reputation for attacking football and getting the best out of his players. We believe he will attract new talent to the London Stadium as well as improving the current squad. "Manuel is the first West Ham United manager to have a Premier League title on his CV, and we believe that his experience, quality and proven record of taking teams forward quickly will ensure that he is successful here. "We have listened to fans who asked us to be ambitious; we hope they agree it is an exciting appointment."

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Why West Ham star Manuel Lanzini should be delighted at Manuel Pellegrini's arrival
The Chilean boss is renowned for developing creative and attacking midfielders - just like Lanzini
Football London
By Sam Inkersole West Ham Correspondent
16:22, 22 MAY 2018UPDATED16:33, 22 MAY 2018

West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini should be thrilled at the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini as the new West Ham manager more than any other player as it gives him a chance to really flourish. The Argentine star is currently celebrating his richly-deserved call-up for his national team's World Cup squad for the tournament in Russia this summer but has yet to agree a new contract in east London. Lanzini is under contract in the capital until 2020 but is not on the same pay scale as the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez or even Andy Carroll. football.london understands that talks between the player and his representatives are likely to be of great priority this summer and throughout the season to try and tie him down long-term to the Hammers. If he needed any encouragement to sit down with the top brass to negotiate a new deal then seeing Manuel Pellegrini on the training ground at Rush Green every day should be the perfect tonic for the 25-year-old. Pellegrini has a great track record with getting the best out of creative, attacking midfielders such as Juan Roman Riquelme at Villarreal, Isco at Malaga and David Silva at Manchester City to name but a few.

With another Argentine in the shape of the mercurial Riquelme when the duo were together at the Yellow Submarine, Pellegrini allowed the midfielder to not track back and thus save his energy for the final third of the pitch where he could do the most damage. Riquelme was allowed a certain leniency off the pitch as well but the player took it a bit too far before a very public fallout in 2007.

Riquleme became the hipsters midfielder back in those days, the Argentine flair coupled with an eye for goal, he topped the assists charts in La Liga in 2006 and bagged 12 goals to boot, he was happy-go-lucky, charming, almost innocent in a way before he got too big for his boots and Pellegrini snapped, banishing him from the team. By that time though, Riquelme was one of the best of the planet.

At Malaga, Pellegrini has Isco under his wing, with the manager saying he has "great affection" for the Spaniard having mentored him through the early stages of his career at Malaga before the big move to Real Madrid arrived for the midfielder.

Pellegrini had rescued Isco from the Valencia reserves, brought him back to his hometown and allowed him to flourish. Back in 2013, Isco said of the Chilean: "He's been my footballing father and I know that he likes me and, for me, of course I would like to continue with him because he's given me all the confidence in the world." Pellegrini had left for the Etihad but Isco went to the Bernabeu instead.

At Malaga though, Isco made an immediate impact and won the prestigious Golden Boy award for the game's most promising young player in 2012. He stepped up further after Santi Cazorla departed for Arsenal, leading Malaga to the last eight of the Champions League and struck 12 goals. At Manchester City, David Silva was viewed as the player to bring the X-Factor the Etihad, with the Spaniard saying in 2014: "It's been really good for me. He's suited me down to the ground. "My style of play is more suited to an attacking style. He's helped me develop as a player. You always want to improve as an individual."

Pelelgrini said that Silva, who arrived in Manchester in 2010 from Valencia, was a "gift" to English football. Pellegrini was the man who allowed Silva to essentially play with unlimited freedom to simply cause havoc wherever he was on the pitch and in a similar way to Riquelme and Isco, also allowed them to diminish some of their defensive responsibilities.

David Moyes lambasted Lanzini after the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City at the London Stadium for shirking defensively, which is not the Argentine's game. While he is going to be allowed to get away with murder under Pellegrini, Lanzini will be able to do more of what he does best - sit in the pocket between the opposition defence and the Hammers midfield and create chances.

If the 24-year-old is allowed to play his natural game, which he should under Pellegrini, it's a tantalising prospect for West Ham fans. They already know "The Jewel" is crucial to the teams success but we may see his game develop even more under "The Engineer" in east London.

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West Ham United wanting Phil Foden should encourage Martin Samuelsen to leave
HITC
John Verrall

West Ham United midfielder Martin Samuelsen has now reached an age where he needs to be playing regularly. According to a report in the Daily Mirror, West Ham United are planning to sign Manchester City's Phil Foden and that should tell Martin Samuelsen that he needs to depart. West Ham are reportedly keen on bringing Foden to London Stadium on loan, with Manuel Pellegrini eager to use his past contacts at City. And those transfer plans look like terrible news for Samuelsen's chances of breaking into West Ham's first-team. The Norwegian international has been one of West Ham's more promising performers at youth level in recent times, but his performances at senior level have been questionable. Samuelsen was sent out on loan to Burton Albion last season, and he was unable to hold down a place in their first-team. And if West Ham are now turning to 18-year-old attacking midfielders on loan ahead of him, then the omens do not appear good for Samuelsen back at the London Stadium either. Foden would simply be another obstacle in Samuelsen's pathway to West Ham's starting line-up, and it may be best that the attacking midfielder moves on now, as he has reached the age of 21 and needs to be playing regularly to aid his development.

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How Yaya Toure could spearhead Pellegrini's attacking philosophy at West Ham
HITC
Jamie Watts

Having appointed Manuel Pellegrini at West Ham United, here is why the club should pursue Yaya Toure to usher in a progressive footballing era. West Ham United have today confirmed the appointment of former Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini on a three-year deal (Sky Sports News), ushering in, what fans will hope, is a new era of progressive and attacking football at the London Stadium. Chairman David Sullivan has emphasised the ambition to play attacking football and believes the Chilean is the right man to shake things up. First comes new recruitment, and the priority signing is staring the club in the face.

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Manuel Pellegrini confirmed as West Ham United manager
West Ham United are delighted to confirm the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini as the Club's new First Team Manager.
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Three-time Premier League winner and Manchester City legend Yaya Toure should unquestionably be on the Hammers' wish-list this summer as the marquee signing, with the Ivorian having decided to part ways with his beloved club after eight years. The veteran midfielder may not be the player of 2013 anymore - having scored 20 goals en route to lifting the league title under Pellegrini - but he still possesses elite quality and, placed alongside industrious midfielders like Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate, his creative play and exceptional vision would keep West Ham ticking over and dominating possession in ways they have not seen in recent years. Toure is essentially the perfect player to spearhead a shift in philosophy, representing exactly what Pellegrini expects from his sides and, more so, his experience would assist in the translation of the manager's ideas onto the pitch. The 35-year-old may have been on a staggering £220,000-a-week at the Etihad (via Spotrac), but he surely cannot expect to continue earning that kind of money these days, and especially not in England. The chance to become the main man for West Ham and to be reunited with a beloved manager is surely an incredibly attractive prospect for Toure also.

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Arnautovic is proving to be Payet's ideal replacement at West Ham
Alex Caple

Payet was incredibly difficult to replace but Arnautovic can give West Ham United what they never got from the Frenchman. Dimitri Payet lit up West Ham United during his 18-month stay with the club, demonstrating the ability that rarely gets seen outside of England's top six. Payet had carved out a decent reputation for himself in France, but his explosion in the Premier League came out of nowhere. He was, after all, an £11million 28-year-old with roughly a dozen France caps and signed without competition. He was brilliant, exciting and charismatic in his football until it fell away. He may have been the star at West Ham but he did not settle long enough, nor show the right attitude, to have the team built around him properly, robbing the club of an opportunity to get the most from their find. Marko Arnautovic's £20million signing from Stoke City was relatively similar; the Austrian arrived as a 28-year-old with a good but not great reputation and, much like Payet, was known for an attitude that teams could be sure to see both good and bad from. His slow start to the season originally made the switch look like a mistake but his second-half turnaround saw Arnautovic named 'Hammer of the Year' as well as become the first West Ham player to reach 11 Premier League goals in over a decade. He has quickly developed into a player the team can truly rely upon, not just game by game, but long term, too. Arnautovic recently talked about his development over the season, crediting both the fans and former manager David Moyes. "First of all, I want to apologise for the first three months!" he said. "I tried to work hard and give everything and I want to thank my teammates and the fans for everything. Thank you and enjoy your holidays!" Those are the words of someone West Ham can build a team around. He wants to be there, he wants to improve, and he is ready to acknowledge where he went wrong. The Hammers attacker may not quite generate the excitement or wow-factor of Payet, but Arnautovic is giving West Ham something far more important - an opportunity to progress.

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Manuel Pellegrini chooses Enzo Maresca as West Ham assistant
HITC
Danny Owen

Former West Brom ace Enzo Maresca is heading back to England with Premier League outfit West Ham United. Two years after being shoved out by Manchester City to make way for Pep Guardiola, Manuel Pellegrini has returned to English football. The 64-year-old has been announced as the successor to David Moyes at the London Stadium, signing a three-year contract worth up to £10 million a year which makes him one of the best paid managers in English football, according to the Evening Standard. And it seems that Pellegrini has already chosen his assistant.
According to Sky Italia, Enzo Maresca will follow the Chilean to the English capital – a man Pellegrini knows very well. The Italian, now 38 years of age, spent the 2011/12 season under Pellegrini at Malaga, scoring nine goals in 19 games as the club qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history after finishing fourth in La Liga. Maresca also played for Juventus, Fiorentina and Sevilla during a lengthy playing career and, strangely enough, started his professional journey at West Brom back in 1998. The former midfielder worked as an assistant coach at Sevilla recently alongside the now-deaprted Vincenzo Montella. Second coach of Sevilla FC Enzo Maresca (L) abd Head Coach of Sevilla FC Vincenzo Montella looks on during the training session prior to their UEFA Champions League match against Bayern... And obviously Pellegrini saw a sharp tactical mind in Maresca during their time together at Malaga because it seems that he is set to return to England, 18 years after he left West Brom for Juventus.

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Simon Jordan suggests West Ham as future destination for Brendan Rodgers
HITC
Subhankar Mondal

West Ham United have just appointed a new manager, but could Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers be at the London club in the future? Arsenal? Tottenham Hotspur? Chelsea? According to former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan, it is West Ham United that would suit former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who is currently in charge of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. According to a report in The Daily Star in April, Chelsea and Arsenal have been looking at Celtic boss Rodgers. The Times recently asked the former Swansea City boss about a potential move to Tottenham in the future, while rock and roll legend, Sir Rod Stewart, suggested to talkSPORT in February that he would be great for Spurs when manager Mauricio Pochettino leaves. According to former Palace chairman Jordan, it is West Ham that would suit Rodgers.
Jordan said on the Kick Off show on talkSPORT on Monday evening (9:43pm, May 21, 2018) while discussing Rodgers's future: "I think he could suit Arsenal, but I think Brendan's style is probably a little bit samey as Arsene Wenger and not enough of a departure. "I could see Brendan at West Ham. I could see Brendan at West Ham because I think his philosophy of football would appease the fans. His management-style, he would be able to handle Gold and Sullivan and keep them at arm's length. And I think also he has got enough cache to be able to bring players in."

Former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has just been appointed as the West Ham manager and Rodgers is not going to leave Celtic anytime soon, but Jordan's comments are quite interesting and intriguing. Leaving Celtic for West Ham would probably be a step down for Rodgers, but it would give him the chance to return to the Premier League. The Hammers are an ambitious club, and the former Liverpool boss could relish the challenge of pushing them into the Premier League's elite. However, for now, Celtic fans should not worry about losing Rodgers, while West Ham supporters should look forward to life under Pellegrini.

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West Ham could pull off superb deal signing Lukasz Fabianski
HITC
Jordan Harris

West Ham United are amongst the group of Premier League sides interested in signing Lukasz Fabianski during the summer. Amongst the key issues that Manuel Pellegrini must address in his West Ham squad during the coming weeks is the goalkeeper situation at the London Stadium with Joe Hart returning to Manchester City following a disappointing loan spell and Adrian struggling to prove that he was the kind of number one that the Hammers could rely on. No team in the Premier League conceded more goals than the Irons this past season. And while it would be incredibly unfair to simply blame Hart and Adrian as the defence also let the pair down at times, signing a new number one needs to be right near the top of Pellegrini's list of priorities following his arrival. It appears that one of the names that the Hammers are considering is Swansea City stopper Lukasz Fabianski. The Guardian reported last week that West Ham had joined Newcastle, Watford and Crystal Palace in the race to sign the Poland international who looks set to leave the Liberty Stadium following the club's relegation. The Guardian adds that Swansea are likely to want around £5 million for the 33-year-old who has one year left on his deal with the club. It is perhaps a steep outlay for a player who may be edging towards the twilight of his career and does not have long left on his contract, but it could arguably prove to be a superb piece of business for West Ham if they manage to win the race. Fabianski has been one of Swansea's best players over the last few years and arguably has to be considered one of the best-performing goalkeepers in the Premier League this past year. His reliability and consistency could make him the perfect addition to a West Ham side that has a lot of ability at the back. And with Fabianski perhaps able to carry on playing for a number of years yet, it is difficult to think of many better players that the Hammers could get for £5 million - especially when you consider how much their goalkeeping situation has been an Achilles heel for the club this past year.

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