Manuel Lanzini could be named in the West Ham United squad which will play against Southampton this weekend, according to popular Hammers source Claret and Hugh.
After being substituted through injury during the clubs defeat to Manchester United last month, many believed that the Argentinian would not be playing again this season. It was widely speculated that manager Manuel Pellegrini would aim to rest him for the rest of this season with a view to re-integrating him into the first-team plans ahead of next season.
It now however looks that he will be in the first-team squad for the game against the Saints. Lanzini is one of the most talented attacking players from the Hammers first-team and it was rather unfortunate that he has had to miss the vast majority of this season due to a serious knock which he sustained last summer while training with the Argentinian side ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
The 26-year-old joined the Hammers in 2015, initially on loan from Al Jazira before the deal was made permanent the following season. On his good days, he is capable of causing problems for any club in the top-flight and was the Hammers Players player of the season during the 2016-17 season.
With a number of departures set to take place at West Ham this summer, Lanzini will likely be a key part of the club’s first-team plans ahead of next season. It is good news for the Hammers fans that he is fit again as he is exactly the type of player that they need in order to become a club which regularly finished on the top half of the standings.