West Ham survival blow as £22m man injured in potential Tottenham boost

Nuno Espirito Santo will be without one of his January signings at West Ham for several weeks.

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West Ham have learnt that they will be without marquee January transfer signing Pablo Felipe for up to six weeks due to a calf problem in a significant blow to the club.

The Hammers paid £22 million to sign the forward from Gil Vicente at the start of January in a significant investment to boost the club’s chances of survival this season. Pablo has already made six appearances for the club and turned heads thanks to his attacking influence.

Nuno Espirito Santo had confirmed prior to the 1-1 draw with Manchester United that Pablo had picked up an injury and would need time one the sidelines. The player was also absent against Burton Albion at the weekend.

The Athletic now reports that Pablo will spend four to six weeks out of action for West Ham. That means that the forward will miss important fixtures against AFC Bournemouth, Liverpool, Brentford and Manchester City in the Premier League. He will also sit out of the upcoming FA Cup clash with London rivals Brentford.

West Ham injury could be Spurs and Nottingham Forest boost

West Ham had struggled for attacking impetus this season before the arrival of Pablo, as well as Taty Castellanos, in January. The striker’s injury could come as a boost to Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest, who are very aware of the Hammers’ recent form.

Forest are just one place and three points above West Ham, while Tottenham are two places and five points away from the drop zone. Both Forest and Spurs have struggled for form of late with West Ham’s consistency closing the gap. Any stutter that may be caused by Pablo’s absence will be a boost for those Premier League rivals.

Pablo could return for the trip to Aston Villa on March 22 and West Ham then have seven fixtures left of the campaign for Pablo to make an impact. While the forward is yet to score for West Ham, he has quickly become a fan favourite thanks to his attitude on the pitch.

Speaking after his first start against QPR last month, Pablo said: “This game was an incredible experience. It was incredible to play in a crowded stadium, with the fans always supporting us. They always give us the grit and courage to keep fighting, and I think that made a big difference.

“We always try to play for the fans, to run and win for them too. It was a difficult win in the end, but with the sacrifice of the team we eventually got the result we wanted.

“Taty and Cry were important for us - they not only scored the goals, but they showed dedication offensively and defensively. I think the whole group deserves credit, for the performances and the sacrifices we made on the pitch.

“Today is an experience I’ll never forget, and we’re very happy to get the win in the end and get through to the next round. Hopefully we can build on it now.”

In other news, West Ham's survival bid: Predicted final table and how their run-in compares to Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.