Former West Ham United coach Stuart Pearce cannot understand why the Premier League strugglers would risk selling Michail Antonio to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest, speaking to talkSPORT (30 January, 11.45am).
On Monday morning, the Hammers agreed a fee with Newcastle United for 21-year-old right-back Harrison Ashby. But at least Newcastle and West Ham are not battling against each other to avoid the drop; both clubs situated at very different ends of the table.
Ashby, too, will play a back-up role behind Kieran Trippier at St James’ Park for the time being.
The risks, as far as West Ham are concerned, are minimal. You certainly cannot say the same of a deal that would see Antonio leave the London Stadium for Everton, Wolves or Nottingham Forest (The Mirror, 29 January, page 78).
There is a ‘real possibility’ Michail Antonio leaves West Ham United
“I don’t see what the pluses there are, to move one of their strikers on,” says Pearce, part of David Moyes’ coaching staff until his departure in 2022.
“I don’t think (Antonio) has been in very good form. If someone is coming in with £10 million, you’re thinking; ‘It might be worth taking’.
“Otherwise, you are going to be giving one of your strikers – one who the fans like – to one of your rivals at the bottom of the table. Mick could go to Forest and get seven or eight goals, and that would keep Forest up.
“Why would you do that for a couple million quid? What’s the point?
“If he was on the bench and not getting on you, might be saying; ‘Get him of the wage bill’. But he’s started the last two games. The chances are he might be starting tonight.”
West Ham will face Derby County in the FA Cup fourth round on Monday evening. Antonio is highly likely to be included in Moyes XI, with both Gianluca Scamacca and Danny Ings unavailable. The versatile 32-year-old, who spent one season at Nottingham Forest in 2014/15, is currently the only centre-forward at Moyes’ disposal.
This has not stopped speculation about Antonio’s immediate future, however.
“I have spoken to him. It is a possibility that he could be leaving West Ham,” says close friend and former EFL stalwart Adebayo Akinfenwa (talkSPORT).
“He didn’t tell me where (he was going)! But he said it’s a real possibility that he could be leaving in this January transfer window. Which is a shame because he’s been a mainstay at West Ham.
“But they bought in Ings, and it maybe it’s time for him to move elsewhere.”
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