The midfielder, who joined on a free transfer in the summer after quitting Arsenal, is back in action again following a two-month injury lay-off.
Wilshere, 26, has struggled with fitness issues throughout his career — but Hammers boss Pellegrini says it was worth the risk because of his huge talent.
Ahead of hosting Cardiff tonight, Pellegrini said: “Players of the quality of Wilshere can cost £100m, £90m, £70m? Good creative midfielders are just very expensive. He wanted to play at West Ham, we took the risk.
“It has not been a good month for him but we have the second part of the season and I hope he will play most games.”
Wilshere’s latest issue was an ankle problem which required surgery.
But Chilean Pellegrini is desperate for him to succeed with West Ham.
He said: “We knew Jack was a risk but at Bournemouth on loan, he played around 65 per cent of the games.
“We know he is not a player who will be available for every game, every week.
“But he is a player of a quality that is not easy to bring to West Ham at a price we could afford.
“Jack is just 26 and has the quality to play in the national team. In football, the most important thing is the quality.”
Wilshere’s five-minute cameo role in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Newcastle is the first step on a long road back.
Another player who has fought back from fitness issues under Pellegrini is Robert Snodgrass.
The winger, 31, will once again be in the engine room against the Bluebirds tonight having been told he was too FAT in the summer.
Pellegrini said: “When he arrived he was not at his weight.
“But from that conversation in July to now, Robert’s commitment to this team has been very important.
“He said to me, ‘Yes, I know, I must do it’ and worked from that day until today 100 per cent.
“And he just gives his all in every game.”
WEST HAM (likely): Fabianksi, Zabaleta, Ogbonna, Diop, Masuaku, Rice, Noble, Snodgrass, Anderson, Arnautovic, Hernandez.
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