Former West Ham player Patrice Evra pictured in training alongside controversial star Samir Nasri

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There were not one, but two surprise faces in West Ham United training this week.

The Daily Mail first reported last weekend that former France star Samir Nasri wanted a £5m-a-year to move to West Ham.

The Mail claimed the former Arsenal and Manchester City man was in talks with the Hammers as he completes a drugs ban.

The Evening Standard then claimed the 31-year-old, who was a key player for Hammers manager Manuel Pellegrini when he won the title with Manchester City, will join for an initial six months on £80,000 per week with the option to extend.

On-off Nasri move looks on again

The move for Nasri has sparked a lot of debate and has divided fans, many of whom feel it is ‘typical’ of West Ham to pay big wages to a player past his best.

The situation seemed to change when The Mirror claimed West Ham were ready to pull the plug over the former France midfielder’s lack of fitness.

But it seems the potential move is still very much on after Nasri was pictured in training (Sky Sports).

37-year-old ex-Pat back at West Ham

And eagle-eyed fans would also have spotted another familiar face back at the club in Patrice Evra.

Evra, 37, was out of contract like Nasri when he was signed by the Hammers back in February.

The former Manchester United star was clearly past his best.

He made just five appearances before being released in the summer.

So why he is back training with the club alongside fellow Frenchman Nasri on Wednesday is anyone’s guess.

Evra can be seen in Sky Sports’ video footage warming up alongside Nasri and the rest of the Hammers first team.

Neither Aaron Cresswell or Arthur Masuaku are making the left-back position their own this season.

But West Ham fans will be hoping the club is not seriously considering re-signing Evra.

Surely West Ham wouldn’t re-sign Evra… would they?

The Nasri move has already seen West Ham mocked by rival fans over their recruitment.

One message on Twitter summed it up best.

Twitter user Dan Mason posted: “With Nasri joining Zabaleta, Wilshere, Carroll and Chicharito West Ham look like they could really do something in 2011.”

Re-signing Evra would only add to the embarrassment and pour more scorn on the club’s summer recruitment.

West Ham slipping back into bad habits

Even if Evra is only training with West Ham to keep up his fitness it raises question marks over the level of professionalism at the club.

It was likened to a holiday camp under Slaven Bilic but all that changed under disciplinarian David Moyes.

West Ham fans will be hoping standards have not slipped.

But some of the performances – and statistics – under Pellegrini this season have suggested otherwise.

According to data from Sky Sports West Ham have the second worst stats for distance covered in the entire league.