As West Ham head off to their summer training camp in Germany with no less than ‘twelve academy graduates and prospects’ in their squad of 29, one who seemingly remained behind being out of contract must still fancy his chances of getting a game come August as the dearth of new signings still offers opportunity to anyone who can put the ball in the net.
With the club’s record Premier League goal tally record tucked firmly in his back pocket, Michail Antonio is apparently now training with the u21’s and using West Ham’s facilities even though he’s no longer a West Ham player. Officially (according to exWHUemployee) the club and Antonio can’t agree on a salary structure for a new deal as the ex-number 9 wants more than West Ham are prepared to offer.
“There is a chance depending on whether he can prove his fitness and how the transfer window goes that we could offer an alternative deal but at the moment this is yet to happen. Antonio is still said to be looking for a higher paid deal than he has currently been offered by West Ham.”
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Whilst West Ham fail miserably to bring in a replacement, the thirty five year old Antonio must feel quite bullish about getting a contract as the ‘striker’ cupboard is bare apart from Niclas Fullkrug. The Hammers are one hamstring twinge away from Jarrod Bowen having to become an emergency striker again, so Antonio would love to answer the call with West Ham being forced to open the cheque book.
Time to move on from Mikey’s zany goal celebrations.
Going backwards is no solution, though, as Roshane Thomas put it in the nytimes.com/athletic some weeks ago, “Head has to rule heart for West Ham when it comes to Michail Antonio’s future”.
Time to close the door, make the public statement that there’ll be ‘no going back’ for West Ham, and more importantly, bring in a goalscorer ten years – at least – younger than Antonio to move the club forward.