Julen Lopetegui says he will make a late call on which of West Ham’s summer signings to include in his squad for Saturday’s Premier League opening fixture against Aston Villa.West Ham host Unai Emery’s Champions League qualifiers at the London Stadium, having clinched eight new arrivals already this summer after replacing David Moyes with ex-Wolves boss Lopetegui in the dugout.
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00:00I've just come out of Julian Lopetegui's press conference. He was previewing West Ham's Premier League opener on
00:08Saturday against Aston Villa and you could really sense that the mood at West Ham is a positive one
00:13It's been a season, a summer overhaul really ahead of the new season at West Ham
00:17Of course, they waved goodbye to experienced manager David Moyes at the end of last season
00:22upon the expiry of his contract and now Lopetegui, who is a real manager at Pedigree, is in the door
00:29West Ham have not stood still at all. In fact, they've made eight summer signings and they may
00:34even be in the market for more and there have also been changes in terms of the captaincy
00:40Jared Bowen was today made West Ham captain, replacing Kurt Zouma, the centre-back who is
00:46in Dubai right now as he tries to push through a move to a Middle Eastern club
00:51So lots of change at West Ham but a really positive mood at the club. Lopetegui was talking about
00:55his aspirations for the club, not only long term but also this season and speaking about how
01:01even though no European football for the first time in three years means fewer competitions to
01:07spread the squad across and maybe more focus on the Premier League, which could be a good thing
01:11he wasn't willing to accept that. He said if you ask me do I want Europe, my answer will always be
01:16I do. Well not this season but could he finish, could they finish in a league position that
01:21qualifies them for Europe next season? Certainly you get given a certain amount of grace period
01:27when you're a new manager at a club, you get a period of time to bed in but when you make
01:31eight signings the pressure grows on the manager to hit form and the club to hit form instantly
01:38Can West Ham have a strong start to the season and see it through throughout the campaign?