West Ham United manager David Moyes could welcome back centre-back Kurt Zouma for the Hammers’ Europa Conference League semi-final first leg against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.
The Hammers will be looking to continue their perfect six-match winning record at home in the Europa Conference League this season against the Cheeseheads.
Ahead of the game, Moyes said that while the game may come too soon for ex-Chelsea centre-back Zouma, there is a chance he could return for the first leg against Alkmaar.
READ MORE: Every word David Moyes said on West Ham’s AZ Alkmaar fixture, Europe dreams and Frankfurt loss
Zouma has missed Moyes’ side’s last two Premier League matches due to an ankle injury sustained in the 4-3 defeat to Crystal Palace last month. However, despite initially being set to miss “a few weeks,” Zouma has trained on Tuesday and Wednesday and has a chance of making the squad.
Striker Gianluca Scamacca is expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery last month, while right-back Vladimir Coufal is set to remain out with a hamstring issue sustained eight days ago against Manchester City.
If Zouma returns and there are no fresh concerns, West Ham will have 21 senior players to make up a 23-man matchday squad in Europe, meaning Moyes could turn to academy players to make up the squad.
Under-21s players Levi Laing, Freddie Potts, Keenan Appiah-Forson and Kamarai Swyer have all featured in Europe this season, while under-21s goalkeeper and captain Krisztian Hegyi has also been in senior matchday squads. Hegyi trained with the first-team on Wednesday, meaning he could be involved, although it is unlikely that West Ham will name four goalkeepers in their matchday squad.
Under-18s trio Divin Mubama, Kaelan Casey and Ollie Scarles have also all featured in Europe this season. However, all three played between 90 and 120 minutes in the Hammers’ Under-18s Premier League National final defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday night, meaning that they are unlikely to feature.
Here is a look at who could feature for the Hammers against AZ Alkmaar..
Full West Ham United squad available to face AZ Alkmaar
Goalkeepers : Lukasz Fabianski, Alphonse Areola, Joseph Anang.
Defenders : Vladimir Coufal, Ben Johnson, Angelo Ogbonna, Thilo Kehrer, Nayef Aguerd, Kurt Zouma (doubt), Aaron Cresswell, Emerson.
Midfielders/wingers : Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta, Flynn Downes, Jarrod Bowen, Manuel Lanzini, Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma, Maxwel Cornet.
Forwards : Danny Ings, Michail Antonio.
Potential academy players : Krisztian Hegyi, Levi Laing, Freddie Potts, Keenan Appiah-Forson, Kamarai Swyer
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