Adama Traore slapped with unusual West Ham training ground ban by Nuno Espirito Santo

Adama Traore has been banned from lifting weights at West Ham’s training ground, according to Nuno Espirito Santo.

Known for his muscular frame, the Hammers winger has previously denied lifting weights, insisting his build is purely down to genetics.

Getty

However, this myth was seemingly busted when teammate Crysencio Summerville recently posted a video of Traore sitting on a weight bench at the club’s Rush Green facility.

In the clip, the 30-year-old looked set to bench press a staggering 145kg, but he swiftly denied actually using it.

And Traore won’t get much more chance to boost his impressive physique, with manager Nuno putting a stop to any more heavy-lifting.

The Irons boss brought the Spaniard to the London Stadium in January after the pair previously worked together at Wolves.

Made to weight

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of West Ham‘s trip to Fulham, Nuno revealed he had warned Traore to be careful in the gym to avoid bulking up too much.

He said of Traore: “It’s incredible (his muscles), it’s genetics.

“His genetics has been like this for some time now and he should avoid the gym. I’ve told him to stay out of the gym.

“It’s one of the things that I think he needs to realise. It’s enough weight that he carries.

“He’ll do prevention work (in the gym), but he’s not in there lifting weights.

“For example, Airidas Golambeckis (18-year-old U21s defender) he spends hours in the gym. We have to get weight on him! He’s the one that needs some muscle. It’s the other way around.”

Getty

Getty

‘His chance will come’

Traore, who made 15 league appearances for Fulham in the first half of the season, is yet to start a Premier League game for West Ham. 

He was brought in to boost West Ham’s relegation battle, but his only start for the club came in an FA Cup win over Burton Albion in February.

But the wideman is a player well known to Nuno, having made 131 appearances under the Portuguese at Wolves between 2018 and 2021.

And despite a lack of game time, Nuno insisted that Traore will soon be given a chance to showcase his powerful skillset from the start.

Praising him, the West Ham boss said: “Traore’s unique. There’s not many players in world football with his ability, pace and skills in 1v1 situations.

“He’s a talent that we have to take advantage of, but it will take time. He has to adapt. He has to understand many things inside of the dynamic of the team.

Getty

“But he’s proven, not only at Wolves, he’s proven in England in the Spain squad not long ago. So we’re talking about a high-level player.

“I think the squad has accepted him really well. He has brought new energy to us. We’ve been trying every day to help him.

“But of course ahead of him he has two players at the top of their game (in club captain Jarrod) Bowen and Summerville. Traore’s patient enough to realise his chance will come.”

‘He was always in the gym’

With Traore seemingly being found out on his previous claim of not lifting weights, former teammate Gabby Agbonlahor has added to the pile on by insisting he was rarely out of the gym at Aston Villa.

Traore spent a year at Villa Park in the 2015/16 season, during which time the talkSPORT host was club captain.

Asked if the Hammers star’s claims were untrue on talkSPORT Breakfast, Agbonlahor replied: “Oh, 100 per cent. He was at Villa with me. Always in the gym.”

talkSPORT

While the former Villa hero was well aware of Traore’s commitment to the gym, he joked that he only ever saw this from afar.

Laughing, Agbonlahor told co-host Ally McCoist: “I didn’t see him in the gym, Ally, but I heard he was always in the gym.

“[I saw him] through the windows of the canteen! Having my scrambled eggs!”

Putting his jokes aside, Agbonlahor then insisted Nuno was justified in his decision to ban Traore from adding to his physique any more.

He added: “The manager’s probably look at it and say, you’re big and strong enough. Is it affecting his speed or his turning?”