West Ham United have confirmed Angelo Ogbonna sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Liverpool, putting their decision to release Fabian Balbuena back into focus.
Ogbonna seemed to get his studs caught in the grass during the Irons’ Premier League win on Sunday.
He required lengthy treatment on the field for the injury, and was unable to continue after trying out his knee.
David Moyes now faces being without a key part of his plans for the foreseeable, with the Italian potentially out for the rest of the season.
Ogbonna has started all 11 of West Ham’s Premier League games and helped to three clean sheets already this season. He also scored the winning goal away to Everton last month.
Moyes will likely turn to one of Craig Dawson or Issa Diop to replace the 33-year-old beside Kurt Zouma. With the £30m summer signing proving an instant hit in east London.
Ogbonna will leave a big gap in Moyes’ plans, however, having been such an important part of the Scot’s squad. Offering vital tackles, blocks and a vocal leader in the backline.
How is Balbuena doing since West Ham release?
Ogbonna’s injury also offers a ‘what could have been?’ moment for Balbuena after the Paraguayan left West Ham this summer.
The Hammers elected against offering the 6 ft 2 centre-half a new deal before his £40k-a-week contract expired in June. Leaving east London three-years after a £6.5m deal to join from Brazilian side Corinthians under Manuel Pellegrini.
Balbuena had started last season as Ogbonna’s partner in Moyes’ backline, but lost his place to Dawson in December.
He would only play twice in the Premier League for 118-minutes after that, before joining Russian side Dynamo Moscow on a free transfer.
The VTB Arena has been a good home for Balbuena this term, with minutes in 12 of the Belo-golubye’s 14 Premier Liga fixtures so far. He has also helped to keep five clean sheets, with another in his sole Russian Cup outing.
Head Coach Sandro Schwarz was confident Dynamo had signed a top defender in Balbuena this summer. He told his club’s website of the 21-cap international:
“Balbuena has a good experience. He was absolutely convincing, starting from his performance on the pitch when we watched him and finishing with his behaviour during our conversation and negotiations.
“We have been analysing his play for a long time and we have a broad idea of his skills. Fabian plays great in defence and he is very strong man-to man.”
Balbuena may see Ogbonna’s injury as a missed chance to regain his place in the West Ham side. But Moyes write him off last season, and would have been the fifth-choice this term had he stayed.
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