Manuel Pellegrini and Mario Husillos are already working hard to identify and recruit the best-possible players to improve the West Ham United squad.

The Hammers manager and director of football were reunited this week when Husillos joined his former Malaga colleague at London Stadium, and Pellegrini says the duo have begun the task of identifying which areas need strengthening and which players will form the basis of his team for the 2018/19 season.

Full-back Ryan Fredericks has arrived from Fulham to bolster a defence that conceded 68 Premier League goals last season, while other potential recruits from all over the football world are being scouted and assessed by Pellegrini, Husillos and the backroom staff.

We have time over the next two months to see which better players we can bring here Manuel Pellegrini

“I will work hard with the director of football to try to make a very strong squad,” Pellegrini confirmed.

“Maybe a lot of people are thinking about defenders because last season West Ham had the worst defensive record in the league, so we must arrange that, but we must also have a balanced squad and not just a team.

“We have time over the next two months to see which better players we can bring here.”

Manuel Pellegrini wants to put together a strong and balanced squad

In addition to bringing in recruits from elsewhere, Pellegrini is also keen to discover the talent that already exists within the Academy of Football.

With teenager Declan Rice making 31 first-team appearances and establishing himself as an important player for the team last season and the likes of Nathan Holland, Marcus Browne, Josh Cullen, Reece Oxford and Reece Burke also featuring, the Chilean is eager to see what the Club’s youngsters can do in pre-season.

The manager made a point of visiting the Academy during his first few days in charge, talking at length with Academy Director Terry Westley about his vision for bringing players through the ranks and into the senior squad.

“In all my other clubs I worked with before, the young players were very important,” said Pellegrini.

“So, I think we are going to try to have the same style of football and try to be always with me and my technical staff to see all the young players from the Academy, because I know it is very famous and very important and I hope that in this three years we can bring a lot of young players to the first team.”