Will Nuno Espirito Santo throw Adama Traore straight in at the deep end when West Ham United make the short trip to face Premier League neighbours Chelsea on Saturday evening?
Of course, the Hammers boss was never going to respond to such a question with a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Nuno Espirito Santo did indicate that there will be a spot in the West Ham United squad, though, for the winger snapped up this week from local rivals Fulham.
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Adama Traore arrives having started only one league match for Marco Silva in the first half of the campaign. He has also played just 19 minutes of action in the top-flight since early November.
But Traore – the ex-Barcelona winger takes Jarrod Bowen’s old number 17 shirt – makes the switch from West London to East London fit and raring to go.
Nuno Espirito Santo says Adama Traore is ‘an option’ for Chelsea v West Ham United
There was a time when Nuno transformed Adama Traore into one of the Premier League’s most feared widemen.
Those Wolverhampton Wanderers days are a long time ago now, of course. But, providing seven assists in just 18 starts for Fulham last term, concerns over Traore’s end-product may have been ever-so-slightly overcooked.
Ok, yeah, like many of his crosses…
“Adama, I know him very well I’ve worked with him many years and I know him,” Nuno said of Traore, who recorded a career-best nine league assists under the West Ham boss in 2019/20.
“He’s unique. There are not many players with his ability in one-v-one situations, with his speed, his pace, and I think he is going to give us many things that we need.
“The threat he possesses and his energy, not only on the pitch but in the dressing room and the training room. He’s a special person to have around. It’s not up to me to judge what happened before [regarding his role at Fulham]. I’m just happy to have him here!
“We haven’t decided yet [on the lineup to face Chelsea]. We still have tomorrow to decide the squad. Adama is physically OK. He can be an option.”
Nuno says West Ham must be ‘spot on’ to get a result at Stamford Bridge
A source close to the club told Hammers News this week that Adama Traore is expected to bring his impressive work ethic to the club as well. His defensive output could come in very handy, as well as his ability to stretch defences to drag his team up the pitch with one of those trademark lung-busting runs.
Against a Chelsea side expected to dominate possession, Traore’s transitional qualities off the bench may prove key.
“I saw the game yesterday,” Nuno said, Joao Pedro securing a dramatic 3-2 Champions League triumph away at Napoli. “Chelsea has a fantastic squad and Liam [Rosenior] has many, many options. They are playing good.
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“We cannot predict the XI because there are so many options and so many things that Liam can take advantage of. Knowing it’s a very, very good team, we have to be really spot on to play.”
West Ham have not beaten Chelsea since 2023, losing their previous four meetings by an aggregate score of 15-2.
Nuno cares little about that, however. The Hammers had suffered heavy defeats by Tottenham and Sunderland too, and roared back to beat both clubs in their last two outings.
“It’s always a new game. It’s going to be something new and we have to be prepared for it,” a bullish Nuno says.
“We have to focus on ourselves. Ignore what our opponents [in the relegation battle] do. Just try and compete well, play good, achieve results and keep going. We cannot focus on what the other teams are doing. We cannot control it.
“[It is about] us. How can we do, how can we become better, more accurate? It’s day by day. We know [the fans] are going to be there. Together, we will try and make something happen.”
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