WHAT HAPPENED?
Antonio has been hospitalised following a horror car smash that saw the striker subsequently undergo surgery on a broken leg. It is estimated that the forward will be out of the game for at least a year and may even be forced to retire. However, the club are considering offering Antonio a new contract depending on how he recovers from his current injuries, according to The Times. The Hammers will also have to pay his £90,000-a-week wages until the end of his existing contract as they do not have insurance to cover the situation.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
West Ham plan to talk to Antonio about his future after he leaves hospital. The striker has not spoken publicly since his accident but did FaceTime his West Ham team-mates ahead of Monday’s Premier League clash with Wolves. Antonio has been at West Ham since joining from Nottingham Forest in 2015 and will turn 35 in March. However, he remains an important member of the first-team squad and had featured in all of the team’s Premier League matches before his accident.
DID YOU KNOW?
West Ham showed their support for Antonio during the win over Wolves. Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen both paid tribute to Antonio after scoring in the game, while all West Ham players wore a special jersey with Antonio’s name and the number 9 printed on the back during the warm-up. Both sets of fans also joined together to applaud the injured striker during the ninth minute of the match.
WHAT NEXT
West Ham will have to continue without Antonio for the rest of the season and will hope the striker can make a full recovery and return to action with the club. The Hammers play again in the Premier League on Monday against Bournemouth.
