West Ham team news: Diafra Sakho to be given first-team chance as he nears return after back injury

Comeback trail: Sakho training with his West Ham team-mates in July
West Ham United via Getty Images
James Benge10 October 2016

Diafra Sakho will be part of Slaven Bilic’s first-team plans in the coming months with his recovery from a back injury almost complete.

The Senegal striker has not featured for West Ham this season as he looks to recover from an injury that has plagued him on and off since late 2014.

Sakho seemed set to depart the London Stadium in the summer after submitting a transfer request. West Brom had agreed a £15million deal for the 26-year-old only for the move to collapse over fitness concerns from the Midlands side.

In Sakho’s absence West Ham have struggled for goals, particularly from their strikers. Only four Hammers have found the net this season and not one of Simone Zaza, Jonathan Calleri or the oft-injured Andy Carroll have yet troubled the scorers.

Whether Sakho would remain beyond January would be dependent on any offers that came to West Ham but suitors may be reluctant to target a striker that could be unavailable for much of the hectic new year period.

Senegal’s place in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations would almost certainly see Sakho travel to Gabon, providing he is fit, for the tournament, which runs from January 14 to February 5.

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West Ham could be without the striker, his international team-mate Cheikhou Kouyate, Sofiane Feghouli and Andre Ayew for up to eight matches, dependant on their progress in cup competitions.

Over 24 appearances last season Sakho managed just seven goals, five of which came before the end of September. That contrasts markedly with the 12 he scored in 26 games during Sam Allardyce’s final season at the club.

Sakho could be joined by Carroll and Aaron Cresswell in the coming weeks with West Ham’s injury concerns seemingly easing. The latter completed 50 minutes of a behind closed doors match at the Rush Green training ground last week and hopes to be available for Saturday’s London derby with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

“I could not have asked anymore from the physio's, especially Eamon, our rehab fitness coach who has helped me out massively over the last 12 weeks,” Cresswell said.

“It is not just the body, it is the mind as well that you have to get right. For me this is the first time I have had a long-term injury and hopefully it will be the last.”

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