Share

Obiang back in full training

Cape Town - West Ham United's Spanish midfielder Pedro Obiang has returned to full training after recovering from a leg injury and is targeting a competitive debut in Saturday's Premier League home game against Leicester City.

The 23-year-old joined the Hammers from Italian side Sampdoria this summer, but missed the club's opening day win against Arsenal last weekend after picking up a muscle injury last month.

"This week I was finally training with the whole squad, and I'm looking forward to giving a slight headache to the manager to show that I'm ready to play," Obiang told the club's website.

"Mainly my injury was fatigue, but I didn't realise at first. I had a little bit of pain, but I kept training and may have overdone it a bit.

"It was just as a precautionary measure that I wasn't ready for the Arsenal match. I could have been, but I feel good now, and it's all good."

Obiang's loss was teenager Reese Oxford's gain and the Spaniard recognises he may have a fight on his hands to break back into the squad.

The 16-year-old impressed with an eye-catching debut in defensive midfield against the Gunners, putting in a composed, high-energy performance that neutralised the twin threats posed by Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil.

"I'm very happy for Reece because this has happened to me before as well, as a youngster, and sometimes the misfortune for someone brings an opportunity for another, and he did exactly what he had to do," Obiang said.

"He performed very well, had a very good match.

"It was not easy to play on that pitch, against a club like Arsenal, and he is definitely going to be a player with a bright future, and might give me some difficulties to get into the squad in the future."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE