Everton are looking to move in for West Ham United winger Michail Antonio. According to recent reports in the English press, the Toffees are lining up a £20m move for the 27-year-old in the January transfer window. Some sources are already claiming that Sam Allardyce is ready to pounce on the Hammers midfielder’s signature as part of a big money swoop, despite the Englishman’s recent groin injury which has sidelined him in the last four West Ham fixtures.
Antonio put pen to paper on a new deal with the East London club in May 2017 which has extended his stay at the club until the summer of 2021. He scored 19 goals and made 10 assists in 84 appearances for West Ham United since his move from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2015.
The Hammers are currently in 11th place in the Premier League standings following their impressive 4-1 win away at Huddersfield Town in their last league outing on Saturday. They have been in a rich vein of form of late under the guidance of new manager David Moyes. However, Moyes could look to add some fresh faces to bolster his options in January and so he may use the cash generated from the sale of Antonio in an effort to strengthen other areas of his squad.
The 27-year-old has featured in 16 matches for West Ham this season and has scored a goal so far. Although, he has struggled to find consistent form in this campaign and could look for a move elsewhere to try and reignite his career. A potential move to Merseyside will be a perfect opportunity for him to start performing at a high level again under the stewardship of Sam Allardyce, who has already managed him in the English national team.
Everton are currently going through a slump and is floating in midtable at 9th place in the Premier League standings. Big Sam is looking for new recruits this month and has already signed Turkish striker Cenk Tosun from Besiktas. However, he could make further additions in January with the signing of Antonio who is a potential target capable of helping the club finish in the Top 7 in the league. His versatility is one of his key assets which could be beneficial for the Toffees going into the future.
It remains to be seen whether the Hammers are successful in their efforts to lure Antonio into Merseyside. Although his recent injury concerns may be a cause for concern of any potential deal taking place this month.
