Mark Noble one loser from West Ham’s Jack Wilshere deal

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West Ham United completed the signature of Jack Wilshere this week on a free transfer following his exit from Arsenal. It was a deal that certainly caught the eye, considering the once incredible talent that Wilshere had once showcased when coming through at Arsenal.

Injury problems now seem to be behind the player and he will be hoping to help Manuel Pellegrini’s side to success in the Premier League.

But what will his arrival mean to West Ham’s captain and longest serving player Mark Noble?

The 31-year-old has played over 400 games for West Ham and last season featured 33 times as the Hammers survived the drop.

But Noble and Wilshere are remarkably similar players. Both strong on the tackle and possessing an eye for a pass the pair are unlikely to start alongside each other.

Wilshere is the younger and, in all honesty, the more talented of the pair so it is not inconceivable that Noble may find himself out of the first-team reckoning for much of next season.

West Ham fans love Noble. He has been an exemplary servant to the club and is clearly a huge West Ham fan. But some have been frustrated with his level of performance in his advancing years and will see Wilshere as an upgrade.

Noble is unlikely to ever leave West Ham. But next season he may have to settle for more of a squad role with his beloved Hammers.