A new face will train with West Ham tomorrow a source close to the Hammers board has confirmed ahead of the first day back at Rush Green.
New Hammers head coach Julen Lopetegui officially started work at West Ham on Monday.
But his first proper day in charge comes tomorrow when West Ham return to pre-season training.
Day one of pre-season will see West Ham’s non international players undergo stringent tests, scans and assessments including cardiac screens.
Blood tests, weight and body fat measurements and a host of health and fitness checks will take place.
Lopetegui will be joined by his all-new backroom team at West Ham – with the exception of goalkeeper coach Xavi Valero who retains his position under a third successive Hammers boss.
The training ground has undergone some improvement work too. Hammers News revealed earlier this year that £5m was being spent on Rush Green again this summer.
The club’s big focus right now, though, is on making signings.
That was reiterated by Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten when they faced the media for the first time on Monday.
Lopetegui has a squad of just 19 senior players in total.
Rush Green promises to be quiet for now
Taking away the players who have been in post-season international action and there won’t be too many bodies around Rush Green for the new head coach’s first day.
There will be no Edson Alvarez, Mohammed Kudus, Tomas Soucek, Vladimir Coufal, Alphonse Areola, Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen or Nayef Aguerd.
Summer signings Luis Guilherme and Wes Foderingham will be involved.
And one new face will train with West Ham for the first time tomorrow a board source has confirmed.
Some West Ham fans could be forgiven for asking ‘who’ when they hear the name Andy Irving.
David Moyes signed his fellow Scot Irving from SK Austria Klagenfurtlast summer before immediately loaning him back to the Austrian club.
It was reported West Ham paid a reported £1.5m for the 24-year-old central midfielder as part of a feeder club agreement.
It was recently claimed out in Austria that Irving will ‘definitely’ be a West Ham player next season.
The player himself seem less convinced when asked about it recently, telling Kleine Zeitung ‘we’ll see what happens’.
New face will train with West Ham tomorrow
Lopetegui will certainly be giving the Scot a chance to show his worth, though.
That’s according to Hammers insider Sean Whetstone.
The West Ham source says Irving will be training with West Ham and highlighted previous comments from the midfielder where he states he believes he can become part of the squad.
“Andy Irving will join up with the West Ham squad tomorrow when players not involved with international duty will report to Rush Green for pre-season training,” Whetstone said.
“Last September West Ham signed the Scottish midfielder from Austrian Bundesliga side Klagenfurt for a reported £1.5m transfer fee but the transfer was not officially announced by either club with the official confirmation coming from the Austrian Football Association website with the player being loaned back to Austrian club for the season.
Lopetegui to run the rule over Irving
“In March, Irving told the Edinburgh Evening News: “I heard about the possibility from my agents about 10 days before the window shut, It was a lot to take in having games to focus on too, but of course it’s something every kid dreams about. I was buzzing, as were my family.
“Travelling to London was a bit chaotic. It was during the time when UK control towers were down so flying to Brussels and then driving with my agent to London wasn’t exactly the easiest – but it was definitely worth it, absolutely.
“I believe that I can go to West Ham and show my quality. It’s a challenge I’m very excited for. I understand the level that I’m going to and it’s up to me to show that I can play at that level.”
With the injury to Alvarez – something Lopetegui bemoaned in his press conference on Monday – perhaps Irving could provide some much needed cover for West Ham.
Time will tell but given there will be a lack of players around for the first few weeks of pre-season, it is highly likely Hammers fans will get a look at the Scot in some of the friendlies.
