Exciting wideman Michail Antonio has become West Ham United’s fourth transfer deadline day signing
West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of exciting winger Michail Antonio from Nottingham Forest.
The Wandsworth-born wideman has put pen to paper on a four-year contract with a further two-year option for an undisclosed fee, becoming the Hammers’ 12th senior arrival of a busy summer at the Boleyn Ground.
Antonio has been earning rave reviews for his eye-catching displays for the Tricky Trees, winning Player of the Year honours at the Championship club last season and scoring four goals in five appearances so far this term.
Now, the 25-year-old will be unleashed on the Barclays Premier League for the first time in a career that has blossomed in recent seasons – and he cannot wait for the opportunity.
“I’m buzzing and finally happy to be back in London at a massive club,” Antonio told West Ham TV. “I’ve always been around London and I came to a couple of games here when I was younger, so I’m happy to be finally here and at a club I watched when I was younger.
“I’ve worked my way from non-league and finally got to the Premier League to show what I can do, and if the fans don’t know me from the Championship, what I bring to the table is pace, power and goals, so hopefully I can do that this season.
“I can’t wait for the challenge of playing in the Premier League. It was one of the things growing up, where I wanted to be, testing myself against the best competition and, seeing West Ham’s result of winning 3-0 at Anfield, it shows I’m coming to a great team that’s established in the Premier League. Hopefully I can put my mark down here at the club.”
The Wandsworth-born wideman has put pen to paper on a four-year contract with a further two-year option for an undisclosed fee, becoming the Hammers’ 12th senior arrival of a busy summer at the Boleyn Ground.
Antonio has been earning rave reviews for his eye-catching displays for the Tricky Trees, winning Player of the Year honours at the Championship club last season and scoring four goals in five appearances so far this term.
Now, the 25-year-old will be unleashed on the Barclays Premier League for the first time in a career that has blossomed in recent seasons – and he cannot wait for the opportunity.
“I’m buzzing and finally happy to be back in London at a massive club,” Antonio told West Ham TV. “I’ve always been around London and I came to a couple of games here when I was younger, so I’m happy to be finally here and at a club I watched when I was younger.
“I’ve worked my way from non-league and finally got to the Premier League to show what I can do, and if the fans don’t know me from the Championship, what I bring to the table is pace, power and goals, so hopefully I can do that this season.
“I can’t wait for the challenge of playing in the Premier League. It was one of the things growing up, where I wanted to be, testing myself against the best competition and, seeing West Ham’s result of winning 3-0 at Anfield, it shows I’m coming to a great team that’s established in the Premier League. Hopefully I can put my mark down here at the club.”
I’ve worked my way from non-league and finally got to the Premier League to show what I can do
A quick, direct and athletic player, Antonio enjoyed a prolific start to his career as a teenager with non-league Tooting & Mitcham United, earning him a move to Reading.
The Londoner spent three seasons with the Royals, totalling 33 appearances and also being loaned to League One quartet Cheltenham Town, Southampton, Colchester United and Sheffield Wednesday.
At Southampton, Antonio starred under the management of former Hammers boss Alan Pardew, scoring the final goal in the Saints’ 2010 Football League Trophy final victory over Carlisle United at Wembley Stadium.
Antonio’s form for the Owls during his loan spell led the Hillsborough club to take the winger to South Yorkshire in the summer of 2012. There, he excelled during two full seasons in the Championship, scoring 18 goals and chalking up 19 assists in 84 appearances.
August 2014 saw Antonio move to Nottingham Forest, where he made a fantastic start to life at the City Ground, contributing three goals and three assists to be nominated for the Championship Player of the Month award within weeks of joining.
At the end of an outstanding season for the Reds, Antonio had scored 15 goals and assisted on 14 more occasions, earning widespread plaudits for his exceptional play.
The West Ham new boys has carried on where he left off at the start of the 2015/16 campaign, scoring four goals in five appearances in league and cup, and earning him a dream move to the Barclays Premier League.
The Londoner spent three seasons with the Royals, totalling 33 appearances and also being loaned to League One quartet Cheltenham Town, Southampton, Colchester United and Sheffield Wednesday.
At Southampton, Antonio starred under the management of former Hammers boss Alan Pardew, scoring the final goal in the Saints’ 2010 Football League Trophy final victory over Carlisle United at Wembley Stadium.
Antonio’s form for the Owls during his loan spell led the Hillsborough club to take the winger to South Yorkshire in the summer of 2012. There, he excelled during two full seasons in the Championship, scoring 18 goals and chalking up 19 assists in 84 appearances.
August 2014 saw Antonio move to Nottingham Forest, where he made a fantastic start to life at the City Ground, contributing three goals and three assists to be nominated for the Championship Player of the Month award within weeks of joining.
At the end of an outstanding season for the Reds, Antonio had scored 15 goals and assisted on 14 more occasions, earning widespread plaudits for his exceptional play.
The West Ham new boys has carried on where he left off at the start of the 2015/16 campaign, scoring four goals in five appearances in league and cup, and earning him a dream move to the Barclays Premier League.