Having had a few weeks to settle into his new surroundings, Kyle Walker-Peters can't wait to tick off the next of his West Ham United firsts when he runs out against LOSC Lille at London Stadium on Saturday.
The right-back, who was whisked away to the USA for the Premier League Summer Series almost immediately after joining, appeared in our pre-season wins over Everton and AFC Bournemouth, and is relishing the opportunity to do similar as a home player and receive a warm welcome from the Club’s supporters.
Ahead of the Lille clash, he sat down for an interview with the Official Programme to discuss how he's settled into the group, fierce competition for places, and how he’s ready to channel his skills and experience into positive on-field performances in Claret and Blue…
“I spoke to Adam Lallana, who has a really good relationship with Graham [Potter], and I spoke to Prowsey (James Ward-Prowse) about the Club. Both were really positive and said it’d be a good fit for me,” said Walker-Peters.
“I also wanted strong competition for places, which there is here, with the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Ollie Scarles. I always think it’s important to have someone pushing you, and if we want to win trophies - like the UEFA Conference League a couple of years ago - you need that.
“Prowsey was great at helping me settle in, but there are other people I know - such as Wan-Bissaka from England - and it does actually feel a bit strange when you realise how little time I’ve actually been here. It feels like a lot longer!
“Going straight out to the USA was great for me. A tour is a great environment to bond with new people, because everyone’s a bit out of their comfort zone, and forced to talk to each other. We’re trying to build that family feel, and you can definitely feel the camaraderie in the camp.
“I’ve had some great chats with the manager, who’s made things really easy for me and been understanding about me getting back up to match fitness, and everything’s looking positive for the new season.
“I’m looking forward to playing at London Stadium as a West Ham player for the first time. I’ve played here for Southampton and Spurs, and I remember the fans giving me plenty of stick when I was at the latter. It was pretty funny, but hopefully they’ll be a little bit kinder to me now!
“It’s going to be a good test against Lille, and we’re going up against my old friend Nabil Bentaleb. We’ve played against each other a few times over the years, so it will be nice to see him. Hopefully it’ll be after a West Ham win, though!”
Also in the interview, our new No2 dissects his glittering journey in football so far, reflecting on childhood kickabouts with his well-known uncle and making his mark on the domestic and international stages.
You can hear more from Walker-Peters in our 132-page Lille Official Programme, which is available to buy around the ground before kick-off, still at just £4 per issue, or online HERE.
