West Ham star reveals what has changed under Graham Potter this summer

Niclas Fullkrug says the mood at West Ham has already been turned on its head this summer, claiming: “There’s a lot of love in the air.”

The Hammers finished a disappointing 14th last season with Graham Potter replacing Julen Lopetegui midway through a campaign that began with high hopes but soon turned miserable.

While Potter has bid farewell to electric winger Mohammed Kudus, who has joined neighbours Spurs for £55m, a first pre-season has helped the former Brighton and Chelsea boss to embed his ideas.

And Fullkrug, 32, is convinced that their good vibrations on tour in the United States can translate into a much improved showing when the campaign gets underway in a fortnight.

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“Right now the vibe in the group is so good,” the Germany international said after scoring the winning goal to defeat Everton 2-1 in Chicago. “There’s a lot of love in the air - we like each other so much and we spend so much time with each other. I believe in energy and if you use positive energy, the positive things will come to you as a group, as a player and as a human.

“That's why I try to smile and I try to bring positive energy everywhere. I don't do it on purpose or something, it's just because I believe when you use positive energy, you get positive energy back and then the positives will come to you. There’s a lot to be positive about at the moment, in my opinion.”

The Irons have added only defenders El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters so far in the market but are expected to strengthen further before the window closes.

Fullkrug, who spent much of last season sidelined by a series of niggles, knows there is still plenty to improve with another friendly against Bournemouth to come on Sunday evening.

But he added: “We’re starting to see the impact of what we’ve been doing. The coach works with us not only on the pitch, but also to be a better group, to be a team and to be a family.

“On the pitch, I think we’ve improved a lot. We still have work to do and not everything will be perfect right now, so we have to be patient. But I think we’re seeing what we’ve been working on all coming together.”

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