West Ham United star Arthur Masuaku will have a big incentive to get back on the pitch and showcase his talent after a big statement from his new manager.
Masuaku is edging his way back to fitness with West Ham’s Under 23s having been sidelined due to a setback he suffered with a knee injury which required surgery last season.
Masuaku had really started to come into his own in a wingback formation under David Moyes at West Ham last season.
Freed of the core defensive duties which he does not excel in and given more licence to use his pace and skill going forward, Masuaku became quite a weapon on the counter attack for the Hammers.
Well now the fan favourite has a huge incentive to get back to his best for West Ham after DR Congo’s recently appointed new manager Hector Cuper made a big statement about qualifying for the Qatar World Cup next winter.
West Ham boss Moyes will want to get Masuaku back in his squad as soon as possible with the Europa League and Carabao Cup kicking off alongside the busy Premier League schedule after the international break.
And Masuaku will want to show Cuper what he can do over the course of the next season and a half because the veteran Argentine has serious plans to get DR Congo – formerly Zaire – to their first World Cup for over 47 years.
The Leopards face Tanzania, Benin and Madagascar in Group J over the international break.
Masuaku is not expected to feature has he focuses on his return from injury.
And he will not be absent from the West Ham squad for the African Nations in January and February as DR Congo did not qualify for the first time in nine years.
But he should be back in the West Ham squad after the international break.
In the meantime he will be given extra motivation by bullish comments from his new manager in an interview with FIFA.com.
“This country’s absence from the World Cup for 47 years boosted my motivation when I accepted this job,” Cuper told FIFA.com, having guided Egypt to the last World Cup in 2018.
“Now, I’m making the most of being able to prepare in good conditions and I’m staying optimistic.
“Taking part in a World Cup is something unique. That’s why I owe it to myself to pass on to my players that extraordinary grinta which only a tournament like this can provide.”
And Cuper had a message for the likes of Masuaku and his teammates when they do represent their country.
“What I’m really hoping for is that everyone feels convinced it’s possible (to qualify),” Cuper added.
“We’ll have to be united and extremely motivated because we’ll be playing to give joy and pleasure to the Congolese people.”
In other news, West Ham dodged a bullet on awful Andersen but missed a trick not getting Palace teammate.
And ‘Delighted’ star says he wants to retire at West Ham.
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