West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui has hailed the return of Mohammed Kudus as a boost for the team ahead of their busy schedule.
The 24-year-old forward is set to rejoin the squad after serving a five-match suspension following a straight red card during West Ham’s 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
The incident resulted in an initial three-game ban, with an additional two matches added for violent conduct, along with a hefty fine.
Speaking in a pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday night’s clash with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, Lopetegui confirmed Kudus is back in contention but remained tight-lipped on whether he would start.
“Let’s see what’s going to happen with [Mohammed Kudus]. We’re not going to talk about the line-up,” the former Wolves and Real Madrid boss said.
“It’s true that he’s now available after being out for a long time, too. He’s ready, working well and happy to be back, which is good news for us because we have a lot of upcoming matches in a row, and it’s a good thing we have as many options as possible for these games,” he added.
Kudus’ absence saw mixed results for the Hammers, with the team securing two wins, two losses, and a draw in the five games without him.
His return offers a timely boost as West Ham looks to maintain consistency in a demanding stretch of fixtures.
