West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has explained sending Enner Valencia on-loan to Everton.

Valencia started all three of West Ham's opening Premier League games this season but was set to see his game time in east London reduce following the arrival of Simone Zaza from Juventus.

"I like Enner as a player and when I was coming to the club I marked him as one of our key players," Bilic told the club's official website.

"I rate him highly - and he knows that. His last season was not ruined totally but damaged by a couple of big injuries.

"We've got some new players there, he wanted to go and I think it's a very good one for both [the club and the player].

"Sometimes the best outcome is to cut it and start a new beginning. Although it's a loan - that could help him and that could help us long-term as well."