Michail Antonio makes next move in bid to return to football after horror car crash
Michail Antonio makes next move in bid to return to football after horror car crash
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Michail Antonio has headed out to Dubai for a fortnight to continue his rehab after being involved a serious car crash back in December. The West Ham forward needed surgery on a broken leg after his Ferrari was left smashed following an incident in Essex, which saw him airlifted to hospital. He was discharged before Christmas and then Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui was confident the 34-year-old would play again.
Antonio has been visiting the club's Rush Green training ground since new boss Graham Potter took charge. He's now ramping his recovery and flew out to a training facility in Dubai, where he'll remain before returning to London on February 20. The striker's deal at the London Stadium expires in the summer and the club are weighing up whether or not to extend his deal in order to cover the full recovery.
West Ham's striker department has been hit by serious injuries and Niclas Fullkrug, their summer signing from Borussia Dortmund, has also been working in Dubai in order to aid his recovery from a hamstring injury which he suffered in Potter's first game in charge. The Jamaican international is West Ham's all-time leading goal-scorer in the Premier League - scoring 68 goals in 268 league appearances since joining the club from Nottingham Forest.
After Antonio was discharged from hospital, which came after he underwent surgery on the broken leg, he confessed that his car crash had seen him re-evaluate his perspective on life. He wrote: "I want to take a moment to acknowledge something I've come to realise -- I've spent so many years taking life for granted. I made plans for the next day, the next year, always assuming tomorrow was guaranteed. I've seen close friends pass away, witnessed others face near-death experiences, and even then, I didn't fully grasp just how precious life is.
"What I've been through recently has opened my eyes. Life is fragile, and every single moment matters. I'm so grateful to God for giving me the strength to keep going and for allowing me to still be here.". Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
