West Ham make final Michail Antonio decision amid striker shake-up
West Ham United have made a final decision on Michail Antonio and whether they should keep the forward at the London Stadium after the arrival of Callum Wilson.
Antonio has not been involved at West Ham since December due to a car driving accident and he undergone surgery on a lower limb fracture.
The 35-year-old’s contract situation was then delayed after the incident prompting speculation over his future at the club.
The Hammers finished 14th in the Premier League last season and manager Graham Potter is undergoing a rebuild of the squad and has signed free agent Wilson following his release from Newcastle.
West Ham make Antonio decision
According to The Athletic [3 August], Antonio will not be handed a new contract by West Ham, ending his 10-year association with the club.
Antonio joined West Ham in 2015 from Nottingham Forest and has made over 300 appearances for the Hammers and was part of the club’s switch from the Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium.
The Jamaican international has appeared for his country in the Gold Cup this summer and West Ham will allow Antonio to train with their Under-21 team whilst he continues his recovery.
Potter to make another tough verdict on star
Football Insider Verdict
Potter was always going to have to make some tough decisions amid his desire to rebuild the West Ham squad in this window.
Antonio is a fan favourite and has always given everything for the West Ham shirt, but after his accident and having not played for months at 35, it feels like the right decision to let him go.
Potter may have to make more difficult decisions with the potential sale of Lucas Paqueta to raise funds after he was cleared of spot-fixing charges.
Paqueta may move back to his native Brazil, with Flamengo interested in a deal and West Ham value the midfielder at £30million.
| Apperances | 323 |
| Goals | 83 |
| Assists | 42 |
Ideally, Potter wants to sign Liverpool duo Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton, but both deals are currently financially out of reach.
A new goalkeeper is also required and the Hammers have lined up Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen who will cost £20m.
West Ham are currently in the USA on their pre-season tour and have lost narrowly to Manchester United and defeated Everton 2-1 and will face Premier League rivals Bournemouth next for a chance to win the Premier League Summer Series.