West Ham have snapped up Jack Wilshere on a free transfer and a three-year deal, after his Arsenal contract expired.
West Ham United have announced the signing of former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere on a three-year deal. The England international signs for The Hammers on a free transfer after his Arsenal contract expired earlier this month, and leaves the North Londoners after 10 years playing for the senior side.
West Ham are trying to secure deals for new players as per the instructions of latest managerial appointment Manuel Pellegrini, who is thought to be interested in overhauling the current squad as much as possible in this transfer window. Pellegrini was in favour of the club signing Wilshere and is now a delighted figure after the transfer went over the line.
⚒️⚒️⚒️ #WelcomeJack pic.twitter.com/3d5mjcuUbZ
— West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) July 10, 2018
West Ham had made their interest clear to Wilshere from the time it was understood that he would leave Arsenal on a free transfer. Arsenal and Jack Wilshere had been locked in talks over a new deal for the midfielder, which Wilshere failed to agree, as the agreement contained a pay cut.
Arsenal’s deal was thought to be heavily incentivised and contained plenty of add-on payments based on appearances and fitness of the player. Wilshere’s ten years at Arsenal only yielded in him making 125 appearances for the team and 197 overall in all competitions, owing to plenty of fitness and injury related problems.
Despite those concerns and a decent loan move in 2016/17 at Bournemouth has seemingly seen Wilshere regain his fitness back and last season he featured in 38 games for Arsenal across all competitions. Yet Arsenal very much were concerned on that front and offered a deal which was not acceptable for the player.
West Ham, seemingly were ok with taking a risk with a player with a rather prolific record with persistent injuries. Wilshere, on the other hand, is somewhat happy to move clubs within London, especially to a place long loved by him and his family, as they all have been lifetime Hammers fans.
He said, “It feels good, it feels special. Many people know that I’ve had a special bond with this Club growing up’. While stressing on the subject of him and his family being supporters of the club, he said, “People will have seen the picture of me in a West Ham shirt, and I’ve got good memories of my childhood supporting West Ham, watching them at Upton Park. It feels good, and of course, my family and a few of my friends are West Ham fans, so everyone’s buzzing.”
Despite that, Wilshere graduated from the Arsenal academy which he joined aged-9, but now he can fulfil one of his dreams of featuring for West Ham as a player. Wilshere is not to be the last player West Ham sign, as they are heavily on the trails of Andriy Yarmolenko of Borussia Dortmund and a few others.
