West Ham United striker Michail Antonio has been in the news over the past few days.
Michail Antonio could still return to action for West Ham this season, according to Hammers head coach Graham Potter.
The 34-year-old was at the London Stadium last week for our Premier League clash with Newcastle United, and he got a hero’s reception from the West Ham fans.
Michail Antonio will be out of contract with the Hammers in the summer.
So as things stand, his future is somewhat up in the air.
However, it has been claimed that Michail Antonio will be offered a new deal at West Ham this summer.
The 34-year-old striker will likely to be offered a ‘basic’ extension on his current deal.
If that happens, it proves that the Hammers owners have real class. The former Nottingham Forest man is well past his best, and is currently out injured following a horrendous road traffic accident back in December.
So is there any way back for Antonio at the very highest level? The latest claims suggest there is, but not in the way that we might expect.
Staggering Michail Antonio update
The Hammers have been hit hard by Antonio’s absence.
Despite the fact that he has lost a yard of pace, and hasn’t been a regular goalscorer over the past 18 months, he is still crucial to the way that our team operates.
There are now genuine question marks hanging over his head regarding whether he will ever return to action at all, let alone get back to anywhere near his best.
And with that in mind, the latest update on the 34-year-old forward will cause real concern in East London.
According to a report from The Sun on Sunday (print edition, March 16th, page 56), Reggae Boys boss Steve McClaren is hopeful of having the Hammers forward back and available for Jamaica’s games in June.
McClaren said: “He is confident he’ll be back and [he’s] aiming for summer, or our qualifying group in September, October and November.“
If Antonio doesn’t play for West Ham between now and the end of the season, and then shows up for Jamaica’s World Cup qualifiers against the British Virgin Islands and Guatemala, it will be simply unacceptable in my eyes.
West Ham fans will be unhappy after Michail Antonio claim
Surely if Antonio is indeed offered a new contract, he should retire from international football out of respect for the club.
What if the experienced striker plays for Jamaica and suffers a serious long-term injury, just after penning a new deal with the Hammers?
Michail Antonio needs to hang up his boots now for the Reggae Boys, if he has any respect whatsoever for West Ham.
I’m hoping that’s exactly what will happen, if he is indeed offered a new contract. It will so obviously be the right thing to do.
