In a recent report, The Evening Standard stated that West Ham United striker Michail Antonio is set to remain at the club beyond the end of this January transfer window. It has been claimed that the Jamaican talent will stay with the Hammers despite holding talks over a potential move away from the London Stadium.
Antonio’s Campaign Of Mixed Emotions In English Football
Antonio has experienced an inconsistent campaign at West Ham but has produced a few influential displays as the focal point of their attack. The 32-year-old has banged in five goals and picked up four assists in 26 matches for the East London club this season across various competitions.
The Jamaican sensation has made most of his league appearances off the bench which explains why he is only averaging 1.1 shots, 0.5 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per game in the Premier League. However, he has been quite poor when linking up play with others around him in the final third, based on his pass completion rate of 56.2% in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the London Stadium is set to run out in the summer of 2024. Hence, the Hammers have no immediate need to cash in on him but might have to change their stance next summer.
Antonio Set To Stay At West Ham United Beyond The End Of This Month: Good Move For Both Parties?
Antonio excels at engineering space for himself to get a few shots in on-target. He can be a decent finisher in front of the opponent’s goal when he is playing with confidence on the pitch. The Jamaican striker can even make some powerful runs with the ball but needs to work on improving his link-up play on the attacking end of the field.
Antonio remains an important member of David Moyes’ squad at the moment as he is more than capable of offering some serious competition for Gianluca Scamacca in the race to earn a regular starting spot at the London Stadium.
Thus, it will be a good move for both the player and the East London club to continue their journey together at least until the end of the campaign. The Hammers would be better off cashing in on Antonio next summer when he will just have a year remaining in his West Ham contract. However, currently, Moyes’ side are in a relegation dogfight, so it is only logical to keep hold of the Jamaican centre-forward for the remainder of this Premier League campaign.
