West Ham United's Kurt Zouma after the match against Aston Villa
West Ham United insiders Claret & Hugh have dropped a fresh update regarding Kurt Zouma’s injury recovery.
The Lowdown: Zouma’s path to fitness
There was initially hope that Zouma could make a swift recovery from a knee issue which he noticed in the pre-match warm up before West Ham took on Leicester City in the last game before the World Cup, with the break ‘hopefully’ being considered enough time for him to recover, as per Claret & Hugh.
However, with the Frenchman recently undergoing knee surgery, the same source has indicated that he could be out for longer than initially expected.
The Latest: Claret & Hugh update
While there was initial optimism that the 28-year-old would not be on the treatment table for long, Claret & Hugh have recently been given more concerning news, with a source now saying:
“Sadly, I don’t think he can train on the knee at the moment.”
This, of course, casts doubt on when the £120k-per-week earner will return upon the resumption of the Premier League season, with the first game coming in the form of an away trip to Arsenal on Boxing Day.
The Verdict: Big blow
Once hailed as a “fantastic player” who is the “perfect fit” for West Ham by journalist Nizaar Kinsella, the centre-back has emerged as a key performer over the past year, averaging 5.58 clearances per 90 minutes, a figure that puts him in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers.
The titan’s importance to the team was underlined in a dominant display against AFC Bournemouth at the end of October, with WhoScored giving him an 8.1 rating, the highest of any player on the pitch, thanks in part to a goal, but also due to stellar defensive efforts, making two interceptions and four clearances across the 90 minutes.
With the Hammers facing such a tough test in their first top flight game after the World Cup, travelling to the league leaders, it is a big blow that one of their key players will likely be unavailable, and it could further disadvantage them in turning around their disappointing league form.
About the Author
