Professional soccer players often fake injury, but Chilean international Javier Margas (right) appears to have caught his own club West Ham off guard by faking retirement.

Having informed the club that a knee injury would force his premature retirement, Margas, who was signed for £2 million last summer, returned to his native Chile at the start of the year even though there were three years left on his contract. The supposedly "injured" player, however, is now a part of the Chilean squad taking part in this month's Copa America.

While West Ham have always had a problem with central defenders straying out of place, this one must count as bad luck.