West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo has instructed Adama Traoré to stop lifting weights at the club’s training ground, arguing that the winger already possesses more than enough physical mass.
Nuno described the 30-year-old’s physique as “incredible”, attributing it largely to genetics, but stressed that additional strength work could be counterproductive at this stage of his development.
Traoré has previously claimed he does not engage in weight training. However, a recent social media post by team-mate Crysencio Summerville showed the Spaniard bench-pressing 145kg at West Ham’s Rush Green facility, prompting renewed focus on his conditioning programme.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League trip to Fulham, Nuno clarified his position. While Traoré will continue with injury-prevention and conditioning exercises, he has been told to avoid traditional strength-building sessions.
“He carries enough weight already,” Nuno explained, suggesting that further muscle gain could hinder the winger’s explosiveness rather than enhance it.
To illustrate his point, Nuno contrasted Traoré’s profile with that of Under-21 defender Airidas Golambeckis, who is being encouraged to build strength and add muscle mass — the opposite requirement to Traoré’s.
Traoré joined West Ham from Fulham in January in a deal reportedly worth up to £2m, having made 20 appearances across all competitions earlier this season. Since arriving in east London, his involvement has been limited, with four substitute outings in the Premier League and a solitary start in the FA Cup fourth-round win over Burton Albion.
Nuno, who previously worked with Traoré at Wolverhampton Wanderers, emphasised patience as the player adapts to West Ham’s tactical structure during a critical phase of the campaign.
“Traoré is unique,” Nuno said. “There are very few players in world football who combine his pace, power and one-versus-one ability.”
However, the manager underlined that physical attributes alone are not sufficient. Integration into the team’s pressing patterns, positional discipline and transitional structure remains key — particularly as West Ham fight to secure Premier League survival.
Nuno remains confident that Traoré’s opportunity will come, pointing to his previous performances in England and recent involvement with Spain as evidence of his high-level pedigree. The challenge now lies in refining how his physical profile is managed to maximise impact rather than simply amplifying it.
