Guffwatch

Unpacking the West Ham news cycle.

injuries

Alphonse Areola injury

Started Last Movement

Nuno Espírito Santo says a dead leg has kept Alphonse Areola out of recent games, after an earlier calf injury. Claret&Hugh reports that sources close to West Ham deny a rift and expect him back in the squad when fit.

No-Guff Summary

  • Nuno says Areola suffered a dead leg and is being assessed day by day.
  • Claret&Hugh reports that an earlier calf injury caused his late withdrawal before the Southampton cup match.
  • Unnamed sources close to West Ham deny a rift and say he will return to the matchday squad when fit.
Development Updated

Nuno says dead leg is behind Areola's latest absences

Nuno Espírito Santo says a dead leg, not the earlier calf problem, has kept Alphonse Areola out of West Ham's latest games.

Claret&Hugh reports that Areola pulled out before the Southampton cup match with a calf injury. Nuno later said the goalkeeper had suffered a dead leg, was improving and was being assessed day by day. The article says that injury kept him out against Wrexham and Fulham.

The absences have fed talk of a rift after Marion Areola criticised Nuno for excluding her husband without reason. Sources close to the club, speaking to Claret&Hugh, deny any rift and say Areola will return to the matchday squad when fit. Useful as that denial is, it still comes from unnamed sources.

Sources

  • The West Ham Way (opens in a new tab) — Reports ExWHUEmployee’s account that Edvin Austbo’s omission against Fulham was selection-related rather than connected to his previous comments, while Alphonse Areola is recovering from a calf injury and is expected to return to full training soon.
  • Claret&Hugh (opens in a new tab) — Reports that sources close to West Ham have denied rumours of a rift between Nuno Espírito Santo and Alphonse Areola, attributing the goalkeeper’s recent absences to injury and saying he will return to the matchday squad when fit.
  • Claret&Hugh (opens in a new tab) — Reports an unnamed West Ham source has denied any issue between Alphonse Areola and Nuno, saying the goalkeeper is back in training despite his continued absence from matchday squads.
  • The West Ham Way (opens in a new tab) — Argues that Alphonse Areola’s recent absence is likely due to injury, while reporting that Hammers News expects him to return to the squad for QPR’s visit on 9 October.