Mexico international Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez has returned to training with West Ham after recovering from a bout of glandular fever, confirmed manager Manuel Pellegrini on Thursday.
Hernandez has been sidelined since the Sept. 1 loss to Wolves and is likely to also miss Friday’s trip to face Brighton.
“Javier Hernandez worked this week with the whole squad,” Pellegrini said in a news conference. “I think he will recover already from his virus and now I think that he may need some more days to recover his best shape, but he is not having any problems with his disease.”
Hernandez will have to fight to earn minutes in a team that has excelled in his absence, with West Ham turning their shaky early season form around with wins over Everton and Manchester United and a draw against Chelsea.
The 30-year-old also missed out on Mexico’s international friendlies in September and wasn’t named in El Tri’s squad for upcoming games against Costa Rica (Oct. 11) and Chile (Oct. 16).
Meanwhile, West Ham announced midfielder Carlos Sanchez will have surgery for a knee injury sustained in a Carabao Cup win over Macclesfield Town last month.
Colombian Sanchez, who arrived at West Ham from Italian side Fiorentina in the close season, played only nine minutes before he pulled up injured in the 8-0 victory over the League Two (fourth tier) side.
“Carlos will need to wait a couple of weeks before he has the surgery he needs,” Pellegrini told a news conference before Friday’s Premier League clash with Brighton and Hove Albion.
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