West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini is set to miss the start of the Premier League season after being named in Argentina’s Olympic squad.
The 23-year-old has yet to make an appearance for the senior Argentina side, though he has been capped at Under-20 levelm but is among seven players based outside their homeland in head coach Julio Olarticoechea’s 18-man party.
Only two over-age players have been named in the Argentina squad, Real Sociedad goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli and defender Victor Cuesta from Independiente, which does not include any of the players who reached the final of the Copa America Centenario last month.
With group fixtures at the tournament set to run until Wednesday August 10 it would be all but impossible for Lanzini to feature in West Ham’s first game of the season, away to Chelsea five days later.
Lanzini will also be unavailable for Slaven Bilic’s first round of Europa League fixtures, with the third qualifying round fixtures scheduled for July 28 and August 4.
Argentina are second favourites to claim the gold medal after hosts Brazil, were they to make the gold medal match at Rio de Jaineiro’s Maracana Lanzini would also miss the first fixture at the Olympic Stadium against Bournemouth.
Lanzini scored six goals in 23 Premier League starts in his first campaign at West Ham last season. Having arrived on a loan deal from United Arab Emirates side Al Jazira, the Hammers agreed to pay £7.4million to make his stay permanent in March.
