Winston Reid picks up injury during Olympics duty for New Zealand
West Ham United centre-back Winston Reid picked up a knee injury during New Zealand’s 3-2 loss to Honduras on Sunday.
It was the side’s second group stage game at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and the Hammers official website has confirmed that the 33-year-old has since been sent for a scan on the knee problem.
Reid now faces a wait to see if he will be able to return to help New Zealand’s bid for a place in the knock-out stages, and West Ham currently have two senior centre-backs out injured.
Injury crisis
We do not know whether manager David Moyes has plans for the defender to play a role in his first-team next season, but what is clear at this point is that the Hammers are thin at the back.
Angelo Ogbonna limped out of the 6-2 pre-season friendly thumping of Celtic on Saturday barely five minutes into the game, leaving us with Craig Dawson, Issa Diop and the 21-year-old Frederik Alves as the only options available right now.
West Ham start the 2021-22 Premier League campaign in less than three weeks from now with a trip to Newcastle United (August 15), and Moyes knows he needs to strengthen the department.
Reid has not played for the Irons since 2017-18, with a knee injury ruling him out of action for the entirety of 2018-19.
The 2012-13 Hammer of the Year spent 2020 on loan with Major League Soccer side Sporting Kansas City before returning to England and joining Brentford for the latter half of last season.
Reid played in 11 Championship games and in the promotion play-off final, helping the Bees secure Premier League promotion.
Given West Ham’s lack of depth at the back, we could do with his experience and quality, but it seems his knee remains fragile and Moyes’ best bet would be to bring in a new defender.
In other West Ham news, Hammers eye move for ‘Monster’ after 20/21 league winners pull out of race.
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