Former West Ham striker Michail Antonio set to complete surprise transfer after near-fatal car crash

Michail Antonio West Ham

Former West Ham striker Michail Antonio has decided on his next club and is set to complete a surprise transfer in the coming days. The attacker had been training with Championship side Charlton Athletic but is now set to head abroad for his new challenge. Antonio has not played competitively since sustaining a serious leg fracture in a near-fatal car crash.

Antonio set to return to action

Antonio was released by West Ham last summer after his contract with the club expired. The striker made 323 appearances for West Ham, scoring 83 goals, but did not play for the senior side again after a horrific car crash that left him with multiple leg fractures. Antonio did play for the club's Under-21s, scoring two goals in his first game back, and also played for  Jamaica at June's Concacaf Gold Cup. The striker then returned to England  and has since been training with Championship sides Leicester and Charlton. The 35-year-old even held talks about a potential move to Charlton but has now decided his future lies elsewhere.

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Antonio heading for Qatar

Antonio is now set to sign a short-term deal with Qatari Stars League club Al‑Sailiya, according to BBC Sport. The striker will side a short-term deal that runs until the end of the season. Al‑Sailiya have just six games left to play in the current campaign and sit down in ninth place in the table. Official confirmation of the transfer is expected in the coming days as Antonio embraces a new challenge in the Middle East. 

Why Leicester did not sign Antonio

Antonio was tipped to sign for Leicester at the start of the year but a deal failed to materialise. Then-boss Marti Cifuentes told BBC Sport Leicester why: "Michail got a setback in the training. It's a small injury. It's a pity. That probably means that we will not be able to continue the process we started. The window is open. We're going to try to see what other options are available."

Cifuentes has since been sacked and replaced by Gary Rowett. The Foxes have also been docked six points for financial breaches and sit in the relegation zone.

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What comes next?

Antonio's return to competitive action will come 14 months after his car crash. He told the BBC previously that he feels he has been given "another chance at life" after he was "close to dying." The striker has been training with Leicester and Charlton in recent months and so will hope he can make an impact in Qatar after he completes his move to Al‑Sailiya.