“It would be a big risk to let him go without a replacement, he’s going to stay this season”- Journalist says West Ham have now made a U-turn on future of star attacker previously put up for sale this summer
West Ham United find themselves in an unwanted situation as journalist Paul Brown tells GIVEMESPORT that they cannot afford to sell centre-forward Michail Antonio due to their lack of reliable options up top.
Antonio started up top in West Ham’s 2023/24 opener against Bournemouth, though he was replaced by Danny Ings with just over 10 minutes of normal time to spare.
According to reports, Antonio is a target for many Middle East-based clubs with an offer from an unnamed team, worth €11m over a two-year period, being tabled.
In corroboration with the reports, journalist Ben Jacobs told his Twitter following that Al-Ettifaq, now managed by Steven Gerrard, were keeping an eye on Antonio’s situation this summer.
Since joining the club, the striker has played 227 times, scored 75 goals and provided a further 43 assists in that sequence, but could be close to drawing the curtains on his career in England, at least for the time being.
Recently, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth told GIVEMESPORT that the West Ham chiefs have an important decision to make regarding Antonio’s future at the capital club.
However, it was just last summer that Antonio, who earns £85,000 per week at West Ham, extended his contract at the club, as reported by BBC Sport.
One year on, the 33-year-old Jamaican has just 12 months left outstanding on his current contract, meaning a suitor could snare his services for a cut-price.
On Antonio, Brown claimed it would be a risk to let Antonio go, especially as the club are thin on the ground in that department, despite the links of a move away.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “I don’t think West Ham can afford to let Michail Antonio go right now as they just don’t have enough options up front. At his age and from the way he dropped off a little bit last season, it does feel like this would be the right time to move him on, but I just don’t think West Ham can take the risk really unless they find a reliable forward to replace him.
“So I suspect he’s going to stay at West Ham this season, at least for the time being.”
To relive themselves of some pressure, West Ham have been looking to nail a new striker in the summer market, but to no avail as things stand.
According to 90min, the east Londoners have made contact with French club Montpellier over signing Elye Wahi, a striker who scored 19 domestic goals last campaign.
Randal Kolo Muani, who currently plies his trade for Eintracht Frankfurt, is also of interest as the same report suggests that West Ham are among the clubs that have enquired about his price tag.
Arsenal outcast Folarin Balogun is on the club’s radar as a potential Antonio replacement, according to Football Insider, though Monaco’s snubbed bid for the United States international suggest that the north Londoners are standing firm on their £50m valuation, per MailOnline.
