West Ham defender Jean-Clair Todibo has revealed that he is still some way short of match fitness.

The Frenchman signed on loan from Nice in August but he was not involved in pre-season. Speaking to West Ham’s official website, he said that he is still playing catch-up:

“I’ve been working very hard to get myself up to speed, and if I’m honest, I’m not even 80 per cent as of yet. I am continuing to work hard on my programme and have been since I arrived here because I didn’t have any pre-season, and it’s hard for football players who miss pre-season. Pre-season is the most important part of a season for a football player because it allows you to be ready to perform throughout the season, so I’m trying to progress all the time.”

Many West Ham supporters were questioning why head coach Julen Lopetegui omitted Todibo from the starting lineup for the first five Premier League fixtures but the player says he agreed with the manager’s decision:

“I’m a player who is very objective and understands when I can and can’t do something. At the beginning with my physical condition, it was impossible for me to help the team, so it was understandable for me to be on the bench, and it takes time for me to get fit. Even today, I’m not as fit as I want to be, so I believe the best of Jean-Clair Todibo is still to come.”

Todibo is needed now more than ever

The 24-year-old has now started five matches in all competitions for West Ham but he wasn’t named in the starting lineup for the match against Manchester United last weekend.

However, after his replacement Konstantinos Mavropanos put in a rather poor first-half performance, Lopetegui decided to throw on Todibo at half-time. The decision paid off. He is expected to be in the eleven when the Hammers take on Nottingham Forest this weekend.

West Ham injury news

While Todibo will be in contention to start on Saturday, Lopetegui has confirmed that Niclas Fullkrug remains unavailable.

The striker is still feeling the effects of an Achilles injury and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to make his comeback before the international break. He has not played since the 3-1 defeat to Manchester City at the end of August.

Find out who is in West Ham’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here