According to Claret and Hugh, Winston Reid could make his long awaited return to action for West Ham on Friday night for the under-23’s against Middlesbrough.
The 24-capped New Zealand international hasn’t played a competitive senior game for the Hammers since March 2018.
And with West Ham’s current defensive problems, having someone like the 31-year-old back and available for selection will be a massive boost for Manuel Pellegrini.
It seems as though the Chilean is unsure of his best central defensive partnership.
Fabian Balbuena was dropped after the first game of the season. Since then, however, neither Issa Diop nor Angelo Ogbonna have really impressed.
Reid is a real leader, and West Ham have missed his ability to organise and communicate at the back.
Claret and Hugh claims that the 31-year-old is progressing well in his recovery from injury. They state that he could return to action as early as Friday, when the Hammers’ under-23 side head to Teesside to take on Middlesbrough.
He will, of course, have to be nursed back to full fitness. If he can avoid injury for the remainder of the campaign, however, he could end up being an incredibly important player for West Ham this season.
It might be best to manage expectations for the next few months, however.
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