West Ham will waste no time in giving Jonathan Calleri his debut when they play Romanian side Astra Giurgiu in the first leg of their Europa League play-off tonight.
Calleri, who is on a season’s loan from Uruguayan team Deportivo Maldonado, has only trained once with his new team-mates having just arrived from Rio, where he was playing for Argentina in the Olympics.
However, Slaven Bilic hinted the 22-year-old will be involved tonight.
“He has been with Argentina at the Olympics and we were very happy when he decided to come to us,” the West Ham boss said. “He’s a really good striker and we need that kind of a player.
“He is in form, played in three games in the Olympics and scored, so he is definitely in good shape and doesn’t need pre-season.”
Calleri scored in Argentina’s 2-1 victory over Algeria but it was a disappointing tournament as his side bowed out at the group stage. He last played in the draw with Hondurus last Wednesday.
Bilic will be eager to give Calleri some game time as soon as possible, either from the start or as a substitute, especially following the thigh injury to another new signing, Andre Ayew.
The Ghana international faces a “significant rehabilitation period”, according to Stijn Vandenbroucke, the club’s head of medical and sports science.
Although no date has yet been put on his return Jack Sullivan, son of co-owner David, has suggested in a tweet that the striker needs surgery and could be out for four months.
Calleri, meanwhile, began to establish his reputation at Boca Juniors where briefly he was a team-mate of West Ham favourite Carlos Tevez.
Deportivo Maldonado then acquired his economic rights and he was subsequently loaned out to Brazilian club Sao Paulo, where he scored 16 goals in 30 league and cup appearances, including nine in the Copa Libertadores this year.
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Bilic has said that although it will impact on the team’s Premier League challenge, West Ham want to progress as far as they can in the Europa League this season. A series of early injuries have already reduced the manager’s options, with Aaron Cresswell and Ayew out long term and new signing Sofiane Feghouli recovering from a hamstring problem.
Bilic will also be without Dimitri Payet tonight as he continues to return to full fitness following the Euros.
Midfielder Havard Nordtveit, who picked up a slight knock against Chelsea, is also out while Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Darren Randolph replaces Adrian in tonight’s team.
Astra Giurgiu v West Ham, tonight, BT Sport 2, 7.15pm
