MANUEL PELLEGRINI admits the signing of Samir Nasri was a risk.
And it looks to be a gamble that has not paid off with Nasri once again crocked.
He has been ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Manchester United with another muscle injury.
The former Arsenal and Manchester City wide man suffered a calf problem while warming up at the interval of Monday’s 2-0 loss to Chelsea as he was due to be brought on.
Nasri, 31, only arrived in January after serving an 18-month doping ban and has made just six West Ham appearances.
Hammers boss Pellegrini said: “We knew that when Samir came here we had a risk for muscle injuries because he had gone more than one year without playing.
“About next season, I don’t know. We will see at the end of this season.”
Considering he is costing £80,000 per week, it would be another strange decision to give Nasri a long-term deal.
While Andy Carroll will miss the rest of the season and is certain to be shown the door, Pellegrini admitted there is better news on Jack Wilshere.
The former Arsenal midfielder has played just five minutes since September with an ankle issue.
Pellegrini said: “Jack Wilshere is almost ready. He played an Under-23s game last week and he will play another one. Hopefully next week he will be 100 per cent with us.
“As for other players like [Andriy] Yarmolenko and [Carlos] Sanchez, they will continue recovering. They are good so I hope they will be back in a couple of weeks to work with the squad.”
Pellegrini claims United’s home loss to Barcelona in the Champions League yesterday will have no bearing on the Premier League clash.
He added: “It is a different competition.
“I think that they are trying to reach the semi-finals. They didn’t have a good result but they can get their revenge on Tuesday.”
West Ham are 11th after three defeats in four games. Their hopes of seventh spot and a potential European place are disappearing.
But in something of a U-turn, Pellegrini now claims this was not a target at the start of the season.
He said: “The European positions, I repeat, were not our target for the season. It was my target to demand to everyone to have an ambitious mentality and maybe reach it.
“But so many things have happened this season that it would be difficult. We still have a mathematical chance so we must fight for it.”
