Forgotten man Faubert finally close to Hammers debut

Good news: Julien Faubert in training

14 April 2012

West Ham winger Julien Faubert is planning to make his first-team debut at the start of January.

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Faubert has yet to play a game for his new club following his £6.1m move from Bordeaux during the summer after he ruptured his Achilles tendon in a pre-season friendly.

Faubert said: "It's great to be back with my team-mates."

He continued: "It was important to recover in the right environment (in the south of France) and it was a shame to pick up the injury so soon into my West Ham career. I am now focusing on getting back."

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley, whose side face a tough trip to in-form Middlesbrough on Saturday, added: "It's great to see him out there running.

"Hopefully, if he continues the way he has done in the last week, he will be a couple of weeks away from joining in with us, which is a big boost."