West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee has revealed that injured defender Ben Johnson ‘reckons he’s ahead of schedule’ regarding his injury.
So far this season, the young full-back has established himself as one of the exciting first-team prospects at the club, having played nine Premier League games, helping the Hammers in their impressive campaign.
However, the 21-year-old sustained a low-grade hamstring strain against Chelsea in early December and missed the following game against Burnley as a result and looks set to spend some more time on the sideline.
It has now been revealed by ExWHUemployee that Johnson has told people close to him that he feels he may well be back ‘before the end of January’.
The information was given on The West Ham Way podcast, where the presenter made the claim, saying: “I also heard, off the record – well, I’m saying off the record, because I’m putting it on the record now – Johnson was speaking to people that he knows and stuff, and he reckons he’s ahead of schedule. He reckons he might be back before the end of January.
“So hopefully he’s been doing well. Again, that’s not officially medically confirmed, but he apparently feels good about himself.”
TIF Thoughts on Ben Johnson and West Ham…
Before suffering his injury, Johnson had started the previous eight league games for West Ham. In that period, he helped his side pick up five wins, which is part of why David Moyes and co currently sit fourth in the Premier League.
With all that in mind, Hammers fans will no doubt be glad to hear that the right-back feels his injury recovery is going well, ahead of schedule even, and that he could be back during the first month of the new year.
Who should be West Ham's starting right-back?
Ben Johnson
Vladimir Coufal
Fortunately for the club, they do have options in that position. Indeed, Czech defender Vladimir Coufal started against Burnley in Johnson’s place and helped his side keep a clean sheet.
In other news: ‘He’s preparing us for bad news’ – Presenter drops worrying transfer claim on Moyes at West Ham