Jack Wilshere Joins West Ham From Arsenal
Former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is staying in the Premier League after signing with London rivals West Ham.
Harry Sherlock (GOAL)
West Ham have announced the signing of Jack Wilshere on a three-year contract after the England midfielder was released by Arsenal.
Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini and director of football Mario Husillos signed off on the move for the 26-year-old, who has agreed a three-year deal at the Premier League club.
Wilshere, who has been capped 34 times by England and is a boyhood Hammers fan, said upon the completion of his move: "It feels good, it feels special.
"Many people know that I’ve had a special bond with this club growing up.
"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."
Hammers director of football Husillos said of the deal: "Manuel and I identified him as a target as soon as we joined the club and we are delighted to have succeeded in securing Jack’s signature above a number of other teams.
"Jack is a player with vast experience and quality at the highest level, having played all of his career in the Premier League.
"On the biggest stage, he has shown that he has game-changing abilities, as well as having the creativity and intelligence to make a real difference to our squad.
"He is a passionate man and has shown winning characteristics throughout his career. Jack will be a great addition and we look forward to seeing his undoubted quality in a West Ham United shirt over the coming years as we fight for important goals at the club."
Wilshere's stay at Arsenal came to an end this summer, with new Gunners manager Unai Emery now planning without the midfielder.
Despite being a West Ham fan, Wilshere came up through the youth ranks at fellow London side Arsenal, having joined them as a nine-year-old.
He made his competitive debut for the Gunners in 2008, breaking Cesc Fabregas's record to become their youngest-ever league debutant at 16 years and 256 days old.
Over the next 10 seasons, he played a total of 125 Premier League games for the Gunners, scoring seven times, with two FA Cup winners' medals to his name.
Wilshere also spent time on loan at Bolton and Bournemouth before announcing in June that he planned to leave the north Londoners rather than sign a new contract.