‘West Ham to release Michail Antonio despite talks’
West Ham United’s first summer transfer window under manager Graham Potter is set to be a busy one.
After a disappointing campaign that saw The Hammers finish in 14th place in the Premier League, an overhaul looks inevitable, with Potter keen to put his stamp on a squad that only mustered five league wins this calendar year.
Included on his wish list will be the addition of goals. Outside of the bottom three, only Everton (42) and Manchester United (44) scored fewer league goals than the East Londoners, who netted just 46 times.
An over-reliance on Jarrod Bowen, who now accounts for 50 per cent of the six times a West Ham player has recorded 20-plus goal involvements in a league campaign, will not be lost on Potter.
Bowen notched 13 goals and eight assists this season, and helped paper over the cracks in Potter’s 18 Premier League games in charge.
Antonio nearing Hammers exit after despite vow to return
The Hammers’ all-time Premier League goalscorer, Michail Antonio, is nearing the end of his West Ham contract having missed the second half of the 2024/25 campaign following a leg break in a car crash late last year.
According to The Athletic (26 May), despite their obvious lack of goals outside of Bowen’s involvement, the club are unlikely to offer the 35-year-old a new deal.
| League position | Points | Goals for | Goals against | Goal difference |
| 14th | 43 | 46 | 62 | -16 |
Talks are reported to have taken place with the player’s representatives, but despite his recent return to training, uncertainty surrounding his ability to regain his best form has stalled those discussions.
The Jamaica international is reportedly training with his national team (Jamaica Gleaner) following the end of the domestic season in England, and remains determined to play on.
Potter to look elsewhere, with Tammy Abraham in his sights
In West Ham’s quest to bolster attacking options, the Hammers are considering a summer move for Roma striker Tammy Abraham.
According to the club’s former senior scout Mick Brown, who also enjoyed spells with Man United and Aston Villa, the 27-year-old is exactly the type of forward Potter wants to add to his side.
Brown exclusively revealed to Football Insider that club scouts have kept a close eye on the forward’s performances on loan at AC Milan, and have now joined a number of Premier League sides interested in signing the former Chelsea man.
Abraham is understood to be keen on a return to England, with Brown suggesting in March that a move to Leeds United could also be a possibility.