West Ham delay Michail Antonio contract decision until ‘right and appropriate' time
West Ham say they will delay their decision on Michail Antonio's future until a 'right and appropriate' time.
The club said in a statement on Monday morning that, as Antonio's current contract expires on June 30, he will be listed as a free transfer, for Premier League procedural reasons.
'Given Michail Antonio's unique situation, following his serious road traffic accident in December 2024, there will be no formal decision and announcement on his future until such time that it is considered right and appropriate,' West Ham said.
'As a long-serving, highly-respected player, and a much-loved member of the West Ham family, the club's absolute priority at this time is to support Michail personally in his journey to resume playing at the highest level.'
Antonio has not played since December when he was involved in a single-vehicle collision having struck a tree in Epping Forest. He underwent surgery on a lower limb fracture and spent three weeks recovering at a central London hospital.
The 35-year-old returned to the London Stadium on March 10 and was greeted by fans ahead of his side's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United.
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'I was avoiding going back (to the stadium) because I was slightly embarrassed by the crash,' he told BBC Morning Live in March. 'I didn't want to be seen. I almost died and it made me embarrassed that it was that bad. I went to see the car three weeks ago and it gave me a weird feeling in my stomach. It was difficult to see. Since the car crash, I've been more emotional than at any other point in my life.'
Antonio joined West Ham in 2015 from Nottingham Forest and is all the club's all-time leading goalscorer in the Premier League with 68 goals. He has found the net 83 times and provided 40 assists in 323 appearances in all competitions.
West Ham have already confirmed that Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski, Vladimir Coufal and Danny Ings will be leaving the club upon the expiration of their contracts this summer.
France international defender Kurt Zouma, who spent last season on loan at Saudi Arabian side Al Orobah, will also leave at the end of the month.
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