West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has forbidden Adama Traore from lifting weights in the gym.
The notoriously muscle-bound winger has made remarkable pace and power a trademark during his career and possesses a physique rarely seen in top level football.
Traore, 30, can bench press 145kg and despite previously claiming he never lifts weights, was filmed doing just that by team-mate Crysencio Summerville last week.
Speaking ahead of West Ham’s clash with Fulham on Wednesday, the manager said: ‘It’s incredible [his physique], it’s genetics. [But] his genetics have 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.
Adama Traore has been told by West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo to stop lifting weights
‘For example, [Under-21s defender] Airidas Golambeckis, 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.’
Traore signed for the Hammers in January for £2million from Wednesday’s opponents.
Nuno is familiar with Traore’s game having worked with him at Wolves and even approved the ploy to cover him in baby oil and make him even more tricky for defenders to handle.
Back in 2021 he said: ‘I thought it was honestly a fantastic idea by the medical department because it came from the injury that he had with his shoulder.
‘That was caused basically because of holding of his arm and creating this strong impact on his shoulder and he got injured from that.
‘It’s very hard to stop Adama and that [baby oil] avoids that situation. He becomes more slippery, so we get the advantage of his speed and talent. It was an option to avoid it, and from then on, he’s kept on doing it and it’s good.’
Traore weighs around 86kg but despite his bulk, is still one of the fastest players in the Premier League.
The muscle-bound winger shows off his physique in a picture on his Instagram page
His quickest recorded time since playing in the English top flight is 36.64km/h and he will be desperate to play a part for his new side as they bid for survival this season.
Nuno added: ‘Traore’s unique. There are not many players in world football with his ability, pace and skills in one v one situations,” Nuno said.
‘He’s a talent that we have to take advantage of, but it will take time. He has to adapt and understand the dynamic of the team. But he’s proven in England and in the Spain squad not long ago, so we’re talking about a high-level player.’
