Key loss: Angelo Ogbonna has not played for West Ham since suffering a knee injury in November
(Picture: Getty Images)Angelo Ogbonna is hopeful of making his West Ham return before the end of the season following an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The 33-year-old underwent surgery on the serious issue picked up during West Ham's win over Liverpool in November.
Ogbonna has resumed working in the gym and, after initial fears that his season was over, is now looking to return to action before the end of the Premier League campaign in May.
The former Italy international is yet to do any work on the grass, meaning he still has a long way to go before making a return. However, there is confidence from those around him that it can be done.
West Ham are also set to keep Ogbonna beyond the summer, having decided to take up the one-year option in his contract when the injury occurred to ensure a complete recovery and retain a senior figure in the dressing room - especially considering Mark Noble will retire at the end of this season.
Losing Ogbonna, who had formed a formidable central defensive partnership with Kurt Zouma, has been a serious blow for West Ham.
Victory over Liverpool in the game which saw Ogbonna injured moved West Ham third after a sensational run of games, but despite managing to stay in the race for Europe and reach the Europa League quarter-finals, the Hammers have struggled for the same level of consistency ever since losing the former Juventus defender.
Moyes remains keen to bring in further competition at centre-back this summer and, as reported by Standard Sport, is tracking Lille's Dutch defender Sven Botman.
