West Ham United insider provides Kurt Zouma injury update ahead of key Wolves clash
West Ham United centre-back Kurt Zouma will return to first-team training this week ahead of the crunch clash with Wolves on Saturday (14 January), according to Claret and Hugh.
The 28-year-old picked up a knee injury before the World Cup break against Leicester City (December 11) and subsequently had to undergo surgery.
The Frenchman has not featured since the Premier League’s resumption, as the Hammers have plummeted to 17th position and are only above the relegation zone on goal difference in his absence.
The report from Claret and Hugh suggests the Frenchman is unlikely to start against Julen Lopetegui’s side, with Nayef Aguerd and Craig Dawson set to continue at the heart of David Moyes’ defence.
Journalist Hughie Southon wrote: “A London Stadium insider revealed to ClaretandHugh this morning [Monday 9 January] that the player is ready to return to full training.
“However, it seems unlikely that manager David Moyes will risk him at this stage as a starter given he has now been absent for several weeks.”
Big boost
Zouma’s return is a timely boost for the under-pressure Moyes, as his defence has been surprisingly leaky in recent weeks.
The Hammers conceded two soft goals against Brentford before shipping two more in their clash against Leeds at Elland Road. Craig Dawson has done a solid job at filling in for Zouma, but he doesn’t have the same presence or speed to match Premier League attacks.
The French centre-back has made brilliant progress since moving to the London Stadium from Chelsea and became the lynchpin of Moyes’ defence before his untimely injury. He is a leader, strong in the air, and also possesses a surprisingly good passing range that goes under the radar.
A centre-back pairing of Moroccan World Cup star Nayef Aguerd and Zouma is one on which West Ham can build a solid foundation. Having Zouma back in the side will also give Declan Rice a little more freedom to express himself in the final third without worrying about a vulnerable defence behind him.