Manager Manuel Pellegrini has hailed the importance of Club captain Mark Noble and director of football Mario Husillos in ensuring new signings are welcomed and settled in at West Ham United.
Since Pellegrini’s appointment as manager last month, the Hammers have welcomed seven new signings at London Stadium, including club record acquisition Felipe Anderson, midfielder Jack Wilshere, Ukrainian international Andriy Yarmolenko, and Issa Diop.
Captain Noble is heading into his 15th season in the West Ham first team, having made his debut at 17-years-old in 2004, and has been skipper since 2015.
And Pellegrini has praised the midfielder’s influence in the team at the Club, citing Noble’s knowledge and passion for the Irons in helping new players to settle at West Ham.
“He is so, so important,” Pellegrini said on Noble. “He has so many years here, he is the captain. I know him from the three years I worked here. He is a very good player, a very good leader also.
He is the captain and knows the history of this club. He is always talking with new players. He is working very well in that sense also.”
Husillos has also joined the side as the director of football, having previously worked with Pellegrini at Malaga.
The work done by Husllos and captain Noble has seen all seven new signings settle quickly into life at West Ham, with each impressing during pre-season for the Irons, with Anderson and Balbuena most recently standing out during their respective debuts against Aston Villa on Wedneday.
The Argentinian’s work in the transfer market has also been spoken up by Pellegrini, with the boss praising Husillo’s intelligence and knowledge of the role.
He continued: “I brought Mario here because David Sullivan asked me to bring him as sporting director. I worked with Mario in Malaga as well, so I know him very well.
“We worked in Malaga for three years and we bought good players and we sold also good players that were not too expensive and then in a couple of years they were double the price, so he will be very useful for West Ham.”
Lukasz Fabianski has become the latest signing to link up with his new teammates at Rush Green, having returned to training following the 2018 World Cup, and could be involved this weekend when West Ham take on Ipswich Town at Portman Road.