(Reuters) - West Ham United's Andy Carroll and Jack Wilshere have shaken off their respective ankle problems and are available for Saturday's Premier League clash with champions Manchester City, manager Manuel Pellegrini said on Thursday.
Striker Carroll has not played this season after sustaining an ankle injury in pre-season while midfielder Wilshere, who arrived from Arsenal in the transfer window, has been limited to four starts with a similar problem that required surgery.
"Andy Carroll and Jack Wilshere are back in the squad. They worked every day with the squad this week," Pellegrini told a news conference.
The Chilean said he was hopeful that French midfielder Samir Nasri, who has been training with the club this month as he approaches the end of his 18-month doping ban, could be a potential transfer target in the January window.
Pellegrini is well aware of the attacking threat Nasri could offer in the second part of the season, having coached him at Manchester City previously.
"He's working with us after a long time with his ban," Pellegrini said. "We are giving him a hand to return to football. I hope he will be fit... if he is we will try to sign him."
Pellegrini, who guided City to a Premier League title and a League Cup triumph in 2014, said he was looking forward to a special match at home against the league leaders who have reached new heights under his successor Pep Guardiola.
"I think City are improving every year. I left a couple of years ago and Pep has continued to do the work, buying new players and trying to improve the team," he added.
"It'll be a special game but in this profession, as a manager, you must work in different places. The most important thing is that I have good relations with every club I have left and I had three good years there."
West Ham are 13th in the league standings with 12 points from as many games.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)