West Ham have put together a specialised fitness plan for Jack Wilshere with manager, Manuel Pellegrini, admitting the midfielder will not be able to play every game for the Hammers this season.

Wilshere was offered a new contract with Arsenal but it was made clear that he would be a squad player rather than a first-team regular. After missing so much football through injury, you can understand why he would want to play as much as possible, hence the move to West Ham.

Pellegrini also admitted that signing Wilshere was a risk. “Yes (it is a risk),” he said.

“He had quite a few injuries in the past. But last season he did not have too many injuries. We will keep him working in different ways to the rest of the squad.

“At the end of the year we will see what happens with him but at the moment he is working well.

“We are doing a plan with the doctor, with him and with the physical manager . . . and not to try to play every game of the season because he must work in a different way.”

Wilshere missed over 150 games when he was at Arsenal with ankle problems his main issue.