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Wrexham center back Max Cleworth faces an eight-week absence after picking up a hamstring problem during the recent 1-1 stalemate with Burnley in the EFL Championship.
The 24-year-old had already missed much of Wrexham's preseason due to an Achilles complaint, but worked his way back into the starting eleven and helped his team keep clean sheets against Millwall and Swansea. Cleworth was selected in the backline for a third consecutive game against Burnley on Tuesday, only to be withdrawn after just 30 minutes following the injury.
Phil Parkinson initially believed the center back had sustained only a minor knock. However, further assessments have revealed the issue to be "more serious" than originally anticipated, with Cleworth now facing approximately two months on the treatment table.
Max Cleworth Injury Blow
Speaking in the buildup to Wrexham's away fixture against West Ham this weekend, Parkinson confirmed the setback while identifying Zak Vyner, Dom Hyam, Joe Worrall, and academy product Aaron James as candidates to fill the right center back position.
"Max, if you remember, on the halfway line when he overstretched for the ball in a bit of a tangle," the Wrexham boss said. "He just overstretched his hamstring, but it is a bit more serious than we first thought, so he's going to be eight weeks out.
"Max has come in and done well; he has taken his opportunity, but equally, Zak Vyner was our best player, I felt, in our preseason in America. He started the season great against Middlesbrough and Cardiff, and also Aaron James has done really well in preseason. We kept him here; we didn't let him go out on loan because we knew we needed him. We trust Aaron, and also Dom [Hyam] and Joe Worrall can all play in those positions, so we've got options.
"We're frustrated for Max because he'd come back into the team and done really well. But that's what we've got a squad for, and we've got the players to make sure it won't hinder us too much."
Wrexham Team News vs. West Ham
Despite Cleworth's absence at the London Stadium, Wrexham will receive a welcome boost with both Josh Windass and Ben Sheaf available for selection.
Windass was substituted at the interval during the midweek draw with Burnley as a precautionary measure, while Sheaf has been sidelined since the final day of last season owing to a series of fitness concerns.
Parkinson added: "The thing everyone has got to remember with Josh is he is almost having his preseason within the season because he didn't play a single minute in preseason. He had 60 minutes in his first game, he had 45 [vs. Burnley] and had a slight problem; got whacked on his calf.
"It is only a whack, so that is really positive news for us, but I've also got to manage his minutes as well and make sure we get him right to where he needs to be, because he is a very important player for us, a player producing really quality moments as he showed last year. It's good news in terms of his injury, but we have got to keep making sure that we get him the right exposure at the right time.
"Ben is back in the squad; we put him in. I wanted to give him this week, and he has had a terrific week on the training pitch. He's ready to be included and will travel down with us."