Michail Antonio in talks with two clubs as he closes in on first move since West Ham exit
Former West Ham forward Michail Antonio is in talks with two clubs, as he looks to secure his first move since leaving the club last summer.
The 35-year-old remains in talks with Charlton while using their training facilities, after a move to Leicester broke down due to injury last December.
The BBC report that Antonio is also in talks with Qatari club Al-Sailiya, who sit ninth in the Qatar Stars League following promotion to the top flight last term.
Charlton fell to defeat against Portsmouth last time out, with manager Nathan Jones outlining that “the wheels are still in motion” regarding a potential move for the Jamaican, despite there being nothing to announce yet.
Antonio’s 10-year stint at West Ham came to an end following the expiration of his contract last summer, half a year after his near-fatal car crash in December 2024.
Return to football would mark a big step for Michail Antonio
While Antonio featured for Jamaica at the Concacaf Gold Cup last summer, a return to club football would mark a big step for the forward, who has been out of action for well over a year.
Speaking to the BBC in March 2025, he revealed that he felt “close to dying,” adding that he has been handed “another chance at life.”
Antonio had made 14 appearances for the Hammers prior to the accident, scoring once and providing an assist as his side struggled under Julen Lopetegui.
“I shattered my femur bone in four different places. I had one single keyhole surgery. They put a pole in my thigh with four bolts, so screws and bolts to knit it back together,” he said.
14 months on, and Antonio is looking for his first post-West Ham move after continuing to train with the club last summer, before his recent spells getting up to fitness with Leicester and Charlton.
While his attributes may have waned as a result of both age and the incident, Antonio still brings serious experience, and a return at any level would mark a huge step.
West Ham fans will always hold Michail Antonio in high regard
When it comes to looking at Antonio’s time at the London Stadium, persistence is an apt word to describe the forward.
Since joining the club in 2015, the Hammers have continued to search for the striker they so crave.
Sebastian Haller, Gianluca Scamacca, Niclas Füllkrug and more have all been and gone – the former pair simply not fitting into the style of play imposed at the club.
But there was always a common occurrence: Antonio would work his way back into the team some way or another.
With immense physical attributes, Antonio was always a reliable option, while his experience saw him grow and improve with age.
Starting his West Ham career out wide, the Jamaican would develop into a reliable centre-forward at Premier League level – scoring at least 10 goals in each season from 2019 to 2022.
And to top it off, his legacy will always be sealed, with Antonio being part of the infamous Conference League-winning squad of 2022-23.
No matter his choice of club in the coming months, he will always be held in high regard by Hammers fans.
To read more expert analysis on West Ham, head to Football Insider for all the latest