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Samir Nasri is desperate to repay West Ham’s faith in him, having believed his top-flight career was over before his move to London Stadium.

The former Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder was banned from football for 18 months due to a doping violation, but is now back in the Premier League and he is ready to show everyone what he is made of.

What’s the word?

The 5ft 9in tall Nasri is a seasoned Premier League campaigner, winning the competition twice with City, in 2011-12 and 2013-14.

But his move from City to Antalyaspor ended on a sour note, as the Frenchman agreed to terminate his contract in January, a month prior to his suspension from the sport.

With his ban now served, Nasri made his Hammers debut in the FA Cup win over Birmingham City and he is determined to prove himself to the club.

“When I signed, I told the boss that I wanted only one thing; to show everyone that I can still be that guy,” he told the club’s official website. “I want to prove it to myself. I want to look at myself in the mirror and be able to say ‘You came back and did everything in the right way’.

“It’s for my son as well. He’s too young right now but when he sees me play, it has to be competitively. I could have gone somewhere exotic but I wanted to be back in a competitive league and prove to myself I can still be doing it. My determination is there. I just want to make a contribution to this team…”

Indeed, Nasri says he thought his career was over during his ban, and is delighted to be back in the top-flight.

He added: “The competition, the dressing room, and to be back on the pitch, that’s all I was waiting for, for a whole year. I had some really tough moments when I was really down. I’m a guy who, mentally, I’m really strong, but for maybe the first time in my life, I cried about my career because I thought it was over.

“But now, coming back to the most competitive league in the world, with a team full of ambition with a manager that I know, and with a stadium like this. Man! It’s the best job in the world!”

Talent not in doubt

Nasri has always had unlimited potential. A star at both Arsenal and City, the only thing in doubt has been his attitude.

Manuel Pellegrini, though, knows the Frenchman well and brought the best out of him at City as they won the title together in 2013-14.

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And with a renewed attitude and a renewed vigour in his play, Nasri could prove key to the Irons between now and the end of the season.

Of course, Manuel Lanzini remains on the sidelines, and the ability to deploy the Frenchman along with the likes of Felipe Anderson and Marko Arnautovic offers the Hammers’ perhaps the best attacking unit outside of the top six in the Premier League.

With a reunion with Arsenal to come this weekend, Nasri has a perfect opportunity to prove all his doubters wrong, and kick-start the Irons’ season.