CandH Exclusive: Zouma – the very latest

CandH exclusive by Hughie Southon

West Ham have put a dampener on hopes that Kurt Zouma could make an early return to the first team.

The central defender was of course injured during the game against Leicester City and later received surgery,

And having returned to Rush Green smiling and without any leg supports it appeared that he could be ready much quicker than the four to six weeks than was being widely speculated.

The club has maintained from the start that the “small operation” was impossible to ‘read ‘ in terms of a return timetable.

And that has now turned out to be the case on the basis of information that has been supplied exclusively to Claret and Hugh.

We spoke to our key contact inside the London Stadium this lunchtime and it soon became clear that things were noy as encouraging as we had all hoped.

He explained: “Sadly, I don’t think he can train on the knee at the moment.”