Hammers’ Reid to miss summer after knee operation

Gritting your teeth can only get you so far, so this week, Winston Reid admitted to being relieved at finally going under the knife to fix a nagging knee problem.

The defender will now miss West Ham’s final game of the season – away at Burnley on Sunday – and also the Confederations Cup this summer, in which New Zealand will be competing.

But the 28-year-old defender will now hopefully return for the new season pain-free and able to train fully, rather than the sporadic appearances on the training ground he has been limited to in recent weeks.

“I’ve struggled with it for the last six weeks and it hasn’t got any better, so it’s just been about managing the load, really,” he said.

NASHVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 08: Winston Reid #2 of New Zealand plays against Mexico at Nissan Stadium on October 8, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

“I’ve been training just the day before games and doing some bits and bobs in the gym, but I had to get it sorted out.

“It’s a really weird thing. A bit of extra bone that needed removing and it had been causing a lot of pain in that area every time I was running or kicking the ball.

“It’s been a bit of a struggle for the last six weeks or so, so it’s something that I had to get sorted.”