After joining West Ham United on transfer deadline day, Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic expressed his delight at being able to link up with boss Slaven Bilic once again.

The 30-year-old forward played under Bilic for Croatia and was part of the squad which went to Austria and Switzerland for the 2009 European Championships.

Talking to the Hammers' website, Jelavic said: “I’m very excited to be linking up with Slaven again. He is a great manager and a great man. I’m delighted to be working with him and his staff again.

“We worked together for the national team for four years and I am really happy to be with him here.

“He played for West Ham and for Everton – he knows the league and I know he can do the job here.”

Jelavic was one of four deadline day signings for the Hammers earlier in the week – Alex Song, Victor Moses and Michail Antonio all arrived at Upton Park before the window slammed shut at 6pm on Tuesday.

Signing from recently-relegated Hull City, Jelavic has already scored this season in the Championship and will aim to add goals to West Ham’s forward line.

“We have a good unit of strikers here,” he continued. “It is always good to have a couple of good names in your position because then you push yourself more and give your maximum in every training session.

“I’m looking forward to working with all these lads because they are all very, very good players.”