OPINION
West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini was wrong to reportedly insist on the club handing Jack Wilshere a three-year deal upon joining the club this summer.
According to the Daily Mail Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan wanted to hand the 5ft 6in tall midfielder (Source: Transfermarkt) a one-year contract but Pellegrini demand a significantly longer deal for his summer recruit.
Wilshere ended up signing a three-year contract with the club, as confirmed by the club’s official website, in order to make the London Stadium his new home after departing the Gunners.
It would have been a very wise move to only offer Wilshere a short-term contract to in order for the club not to commit itself to paying potentially lucrative wages for a few years without getting much in return.
While the 26-year-old managed 38 senior appearances for Arsenal last season, it’s well documented that Wilshere has consistently battled injuries throughout his career and more often than not they had gotten the better of him.
So far the midfielder has stayed fit for the Hammers, making four appearances, but signing the player would have been less risky if a one-year contract was all that was agreed.
Wilshere could have opted to reject a move if he wasn’t keen on a one-year deal and he would have been well in his rights too and the Hammers could have easily scouted the market for an alternative to sign instead.
Given that the central midfielder has struggled to wow the masses with his appearances so far in a Hammers shirt, Pellegrini’s decision could start to look worse and worse if Wilshere doesn’t improve shortly.
The 26-year-old has struggled in the Hammers’ opening game with his outing against Bournemouth his only performance that warrants any praise.
Therefore as it stands in particular, Sullivan was wrong to give into Pellegrini’s reported demand regarding Wilshere as it is potentially set to be a costly mistake.
