Michail Antonio had to do something he had never had to do before in his career: prove his worth on the training ground without a contract.
The former West Ham United striker was seriously injured in a car accident in 2024.
Multiple fractures in his leg sidelined him for months, and his contract with West Ham expired quietly last summer. For eight months he did not play a single club match, and after that he made only three international appearances for Jamaica.
The situation was exceptional: the 35-year-old striker left the Hammers as the club’s all-time Premier League top scorer (68 goals). Yet on the transfer market, he became a risky investment.
Several clubs were willing to offer him a contract, but his injury history and the accident raised doubts.
Antonio admits that at first he refused trial periods.
“I felt I had already proven myself in the Premier League and with the Jamaican national team, but in the end I had to swallow my pride. After that, I trained with Brentford for two weeks,” Antonio says.
A contract was already close, but a new injury changed the situation.
Antonio eventually joined Al-Sailiya in the Qatari league on a deal running until the summer. However, the striker’s goal is to return to European football.
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