Esmee de Graaf is set to undergo surgery in the new year on an ACL injury sustained during a training session last week.
The 21-year-old missed out on last weekend’s 5-0 victory away to Yeovil Town Ladies, and the 2-0 win against Championship side Charlton Athletic, and women’s lead physiotherapist Elena Jobson has confirmed the Dutch winger will be out for the remainder of the campaign.
“Esmee has unfortunately torn her ACL during a training session,” Jobson told whufc.com. “We took her for an MRI, which confirmed the injury, and she will undergo surgery in early 2019.
“Unfortunately, it means that Esmee will miss the rest of the season with her injury, but work has already begun on rehab.
“I have to give Esmee credit. She has taken the news in her stride. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with an athlete that’s taken this sort of news so well before. She understands the process and the plan, and she is working really hard already to get back to playing football for West Ham.”
Esmee understands the process and the plan, and she is working really hard already to get back to playing football for West Ham.
Elena Jobson
Jobson also provided updates on Leanne Kiernan and Erin Simon, who have both been out of action in recent weeks for the Irons.
Republic of Ireland international Kiernan was forced from the field in the first half of the home victory against Bristol City Women, while Simon has been battling a knee injury.
However, Jobson is confident that West Ham fans will see Kiernan back in the Claret and Blue of Matt Beard’s team in early 2019.
She continued: “Leanne sustained a hamstring injury in our home match with Bristol City Women, so we had to take her off. She is currently going through the rehabilitation process, and she is doing really well.
“We don’t want to rush her. We are taking our time with her injury, but we hope to see her back at the beginning of 2019.”
Jobson also confirmed that Simon is also looking to return in the early part of next year after her knee injury.
“Erin is currently rehabbing, working really hard on her knee injury, and I am confident she will be stronger than ever when she is back on the pitch.”
With the festive break now underway, Jobson indicated that the Hammers would still be hard at work throughout December and into January to ensure that each player was in at their best for the visit for Arsenal on Sunday 6 January.
She added: “We’ve come to the end of 2018 and there’s a few knocks in our team, as is natural in sport.
“We’ve got a little bit of time now over the festive period to let the players rest up and work on some of these niggles, so that everyone is in the best shape possible for when we get back to action in January.”