Callum Wilson has taken part in his first training session as a West Ham player — and there was plenty for eagle-eyed fans to spot, including the surprise return of a forgotten outcast.
When Callum Wilson was unveiled as West Ham’s third summer signing last weekend, most fans were far from impressed.
Bogeyman Wilson has tormented West Ham on and off the pitch down the years.
Throw in the fact he is 34 next season and seriously injury-prone and the backlash from some Hammers supporters was somewhat understandable.
One thing about West Ham fans, though, once you pull on the claret and blue you will have their full backing.
Wilson has called for fans to let bygones be bygones as he vows to make up for the goals he scored against West Ham by now hitting the net for them.
West Ham were in the USA for their Summer Series pre-season tour when Wilson signed on a free transfer.
Wilson watched his new West Ham teammates beat his old club Bournemouth on his laptop.
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Now he has trained with the Hammers for the first time on their return to Rush Green.
The Irons were being put through their paces by Graham Potter and his staff ahead of their final pre-season clash against Lille at the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Here are five big things spotted in Wilson’s first West Ham training session including an outcast’s return.
Preston Fearon during Manchester United v West Ham United FC: Premier League Summer Series
Photo by Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images
No fear for Fearon as young Hammer looks set for squad place
One of the biggest highlights of pre-season for West Ham has been the emergence of young midfield ace Preston Fearon.
The 18-year-old joined the Hammers Academy from Chelsea three years ago and was brilliant in the defeat to Man United in New York.
So good in fact, many believe he is ready to be part of the first-team squad this season.
Potter seems to share that feeling because Fearon has been retained as part of the first-team squad heading into the friendly with Lille.
Fearon revealed he is much better off at West Ham than Chelsea after impressing in his first senior match action in the US.
Jarrod Bowen revealed Fearon is so good he is constantly nutmegging senior stars in training.
He looks at ease training with the Hammers first-team and if he does not go out on loan, Fearon could be one to make a major breakthrough in the Premier League next.
Lesser spotted Emerson back at West Ham as he awaits exit
The writing has been on the wall for Emerson Palmieri at West Ham from the day Potter arrived.
In fact the Englishman’s first significant act as Hammers boss 48 hours into his tenure was to drop Emerson for young Ollie Scarles.
On the few occasions Emerson did start under Potter in the second half of last season, he was subbed off every single time.
Emerson has gone through peaks and troughs at West Ham but was a key player in helping the Hammers lift their only major trophy of the last 45 years.
Potter has since gone out and signed brilliant young left wing-back El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters backup for both flanks.
Emerson was expected to be one of the first out of the door this summer.
He has been linked with moves to Turkey, Italy and Brazil.
Potter left the Brazilian-born Italian out of his squad for the US tour as Emerson used the time to try and find a new club.
Hammers News understands Emerson and his agents are trying to secure a move back to his first club Santos.
But Emerson is spotted back training with the first-team at Rush Green ahead of the game with Lille.
Man goes to work is not much of a story and there is likely little significance to Emerson being back in east London other than a deal for him to move elsewhere is yet to be sorted.
Callum Wilson in training for Newcastle United
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Love him or loathe him, Wilson makes presence felt
West Ham announcing that Wilson would be taking his good friend Michail Antonio’s number nine shirt on the same day the long-serving star’s exit was formally announced did not go down well with some supporters.
There is no doubting Wilson is going to have to get some goals if he is to win over miffed fans.
But love him or loathe him, Wilson’s impact has been clear from day one.
West Ham’s training footage shows the 33-year-old striker fitting in seamlessly with the rest of the squad.
He visibly lifted the tempo and was seen laughing and joking with all manner of teammates from Tomas Soucek and James Ward-Prowse to young Ollie Scarles, Jean-Clair Todibo and captain Bowen.
There is one great moment when Wilson is in the middle of a rondo and struggling to win the ball off his new teammates. The longer it goes on – reaching 35 passes at one point – coach Billy Reid teases Wilson saying: “Welcome to West Ham Callum”.
Wilson looks confident, giving a few winks to the cameras, and comfortable already. There is nothing wrong with that as it is a necessity for a Premier League striker.
Without wishing to tempt fate, dare we say Wilson also looked fit, strong and reasonably sharp for his first session too.
As always, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. But Potter made a point of stating what a good character he felt Wilson would be for the group and that has been evident from his very first day.
Areola reaction ahead of being challenged for number one spot
One man whose West Ham place is most definitely under threat is goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
West Ham are on the verge of paying a club record fee for a ‘keeper by signing Mads Hermansen for around £18m from Leicester City.
Make no mistake, the Hammers would not – and are not – paying that kind of money for Hermansen to be the number two.
Areola has been error-prone and erratic over the last two seasons, and his form has nose-dived since Potter’s arrival.
The Frenchman is 33 next season and has endured a tough pre-season too.
Although capable of stunning saves, his all-round command of the area is lacking at times.
Despite the Hermansen deal looming, though, Areola appears to be maintaining a positive attitude.
He spent his first season as West Ham’s number two and he can be seen laughing and joking with young goalkeeper Lanre Awesu as they head out to training.
One thing Potter can be sure of, Areola will not cause issues for him when he is dethroned as West Ham’s number one. He is not that kind of character.
The Hammers may not be blessed with a mountain of money to spend reshaping Potter’s team.
But the 50-year-old has given West Ham something money can’t buy – their team spirit back.
Don Hutchison revealed to Tony Cottee that the West Ham training ground had become a ‘dead zone’ last season after the Julen Lopetegui disaster.
One look at West Ham’s training video shows that is no longer the case and that will have as much bearing on the team’s chances of success next season as anything else.
David Moyes made it his top priority as he led the Hammers on a meteoric rise.
West Ham will be hoping Potter can have the same impact.