Michail Antonio ‘keen to explore’ West Ham United transfer exit amid push to sign Mohammed Kudus and Youssef En-Nesyri
Michail Antonio wants to “explore an opportunity in Saudi Arabia” even though no offer has been made to West Ham, according to The Times.
The newspaper reported on its website on 22 August that the “first-choice” Hammers striker is “keen” on the option amid the club’s “formal” approach for £28million-rated long-time target Youssef En-Nesyri from Sevilla and talks with Ajax for Mohammed Kudus, and there are “doubts” whether Antonio will stay heading into the final week of the window.
The Jamaica international scored the crucial second goal in the 3-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday and has started both games so far this season.
Antonio was also linked to an exit in January but had to stay amid an injury crisis, and has seen Gianluca Scamacca sold already this summer.
Tricky
It is a mark of Antonio’s professionalism that he continues to shoulder the load up front for West Ham despite other options coming and going at the club when he seems to have wanted to move on for a while.
If the Irons are able to land some new striking options before the deadline it would open the door to letting him finally move on, especially after he didn’t get his move in the winter.
That dynamic would mirror that of Craig Dawson, who stayed last summer amid injuries to various other centre-backs before leaving for Wolves in January.
But the fact that 33-year-old Antonio has retained the mantle of first-choice West Ham striker repeatedly despite the arrivals of Scamacca and Danny Ings, shows that it would be a risk for him to leave.
Any new signings could struggle to adapt in the way that the big-money Italian did in his one season at the London Stadium, as Sebastien Haller did before him.
And if Saudi clubs aren’t willing to make an actual offer to the club, despite the vast sums being spent from the Middle East nation this summer, it would be presumptuous to assume West Ham will simply release Antonio.
The final week of the window is going to be crucial at one of the most important positions in the team, after Antonio reminded everyone of his enduring value against Chelsea.
In other West Ham news, the club have been offered a £27m striker and held talks over a move for him.