Dimitri Payet looks set to make his West Ham United debut tonight as the Hammers host Romanian side FC Astra Giurgiu in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

The French international winger has been used exclusively in pre-season friendlies since moving from Olympique Marseille for £10.75m, but new boss Slaven Bilic is set to unleash his new signing in a competitive game for the first time.

West Ham host the Romanian side at Upton Park tonight (7.45pm) in another sell-out and speaking to the club's website ahead of the tie, was gushing in his praise for Payet.

He said: "He’s not only a great player, he’s a professional and is a good lad. He’s the kind of player I thought we really needed.

“He is going to make every player better than they actually are. He’s got everything.

“He was my number one target and I am grateful to the chairman that we got him. It was done just like that – not in four weeks.

“He’s doing really well at the moment. It may go a bit up and down. But we’re going to help him and he’s going to help us.”

And the 28-year-old is equally excited about the prospect of making his bow for the Hammers in Europe. 

He enthused: “I hope that Thursday will be my first official game for West Ham and at home too, so that will be a pleasure for me to begin.

“It's an important match, because it's qualification for the Europa League, the first objective is to qualify, so it's very good.

“My first match went very well, the second too, so it bodes well for what's to come, but I've got to continue like that," he acknowledged.

Experienced defender James Collins has come up against the former Lille and Saint-Etienne flyer in training and believes the 14-cap French international is a coup for the Hammers.

Collins said: “I played with him at Southend and he was a million miles the best player on the pitch. He’s a special player.

“He’s a tremendous signing for the club. He’s going to create so many chances and score goals as well. You can see it from the day he walked in he’s kept himself fit.

“He’s come in and speaks very good English and gets on with the lads. It’s an exciting time to have players like that in the squad. You can see he’s a top player - even in training.”