West Ham have flatly denied a Times story from this morning in which it is claimed Michail Antonio is attempting to force his way out of the club.
It was declared that Michail’s relationship with the board had broken down over the treatment of his hamstring injury and that he was unhappy that such as Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte are claimed to be on more money than him.
That element of the story has been recycled several times through the written press and the club has again revealed to ClaretandHugh there is absolutely no truth in these reports.
We contacted our senior source at the club the minute the story appeared and there was no hesitation in rubbishing it immediately.
He said: ” This is simply not true. Michail has had the best medical advice on his injury. It’s an eight week injury and nobody could handle it any better.
The club has offered to nearly double his wages, despite him having five years left on his existing contract and he’s currently thinking about it.
“We do not have to offer him anything, but we are trying to be reasonable. With options he’s contracted to us for another five years, so on reality the club do not have to do anything but are ready to do so
“He is going nowhere – he is a valued member of Slaven Bilic’s squad.”
This club drives me mad. What do they expect if they try to mug him off with a terrible offer after being the best player for the last 2 years (discount judas from last season) while they pay silly money for snoddy and fonte who haven’t done a thing. Then they want to buy Sturridge. If that happens it’s the last straw. Absolute idiots. Are they just trying to collect sicknote strikers. Carroll is bad enough, why do we need another?!
Spot on my friend . Add to all this constantly playing him out of position to accomodate the lame duck and the awful transfer dealings and it is not a surprise that the best players will want to leave .
It’s papertalk Geefunk that’s all. West Ham have him tied up 5 years, theyll probably end up agreeing something but all this hot air blowing is daft just based on a newspaper story. Lanzinii And off
It might be paper talk that he is engineering an exit but I do not believe the contract offers are bs. I don’t care that 2 seasons ago he earner 12.5k a week and now he wants 75k. He deserves it in this crazy market and to try and pay him less than carroll, fonte and snog is ridiculous and quite frankly insulting!
Stop fretting lads we’ve got the greatest striker in world football already who single handily keeps us up each year 😀 We don’t need these upstarts like Antonio turning up asking for similar pay to the chosen one I mean how dare he ask for similar pay after outscoring him, playing more games and playing where Slav asks him 😂😂😂
I’d love some positive Hammers news for once, wouldn’t you….
This is positive news
er no it isnt…..
Antonio signed a four-year contract worth £25,000 per week when he signed from Forest on 1st September 2015 In July 2016 he signed a new five-year contract increasing his term and wages to £35,000 per week,
The new deal on offer is said to be worth £65,000 per week to him, almost doubling his wages.
Fonte is on £65,000 per week and Snodgrass is on a reported £50,000 per week so he would be on a par with Fonte and leapfrog Snodgrass of those in terms of wages.
Sounds like an agent planted story to push the price or his fee up.
Sean as a man in the know who is our current top earner at the club?
Andy Carroll on £85,000 per week basic plus add-ons
Payet was only on £68,000 per week basic with add-ons which would potentially reach £125,000 per week but never did
So 50k a week more than Antonio and still 20k a week more if he signs a new contract? Now I’m no brain surgeon but if I was in Antonio’s shoes I’d be asking for the same as him 😀😀😀 At least he bloody plays and scores 😀
What are you talking about? Andy has played a ton this season. And Antonio only has 2 more goals than Andy.
What he earned in the past is irrelevant. Like any other industry wages are driven by the market. We all agree the football world is ridiculous but it is what it is unfortunately and if Chelsea or anyone else for that matter think he is worth more then he is worth more. Back in the real world, if I earn 50k a year and someone offers me 75k a year I move. Why would MA be any different?! Plus let’s face it Chelsea offer him super stardom, champs league football and a much more realistic shot of ever pulling on an england shirt in anger. I wonder how much we’re planning to offer sturridge for his awful attitude and treatment room membership card. No doubt it will be another insult to Antonio et al.
I love Antonio. But you all are deluded if you think Chelsea or any other top club is going to put in a huge bid for a Antonio with his concrete feet. He has scored a lot for us, but the guy has no touch at all. He scores with his head most of the time. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the best season of his career.
If the club believe the “we dont have to give him anything” line then they should cast their minds back a few months to Payetgate. If a player wants out they will find a way out end of. Michail is well within his rights to be upset he has busted his ass to make up for a pathetic squad and to suggest Fonte and Snoddy are worth even half as much as him is laughable.
That was my concern with their response as well.
I thought exactly the same. Completely sums up their ridiculous attitude. How do they release that kind of statement? Oh look guys we’re being so kind offering him more wages when we don’t need to. Aren’t we amazing!!! Idiots. You pay what someone is worth or they leave, simple. At Chelsea he could walk straight into the Moses slot, not have to do a whole lot of defending and earn 100k a week, hmmmmmmmm, decisions, decisions.
The club aint released any statement like that have they.The only person who said it was some geezer that Hugh or Sean know at the club.Which is hardly official is it 😉
Been an Carroll fan for years but getting frustrated we could put his wages to better use.
Hope you are right Sean? because id pay Antonio double anyone else in the squad..
COYI..
Stupid report in the newspapers.
Today i have read the mancs are about to buy 5 or 6 different players with a combined value of about 500mill according to the media.
They will probably buy 1 or none of them in reality 😁
Rads as your Mrs is a St Etienne fan what’s her thoughts about Malcuit? Moody Frenchman? Good player? Unplayable on his day? I’d prefer her opinion than the YouTube talent scouts in cyberspace 😀😀
She rates him GW.But like most fullbacks these days she said he is much better attacking than defending.But what would she know about football 1) she is French 2) she is a woman 😂😂
Im joking of course before i get called misogynistic by the Feminist Freedom Front 😁
LMFAO you’ve done it now Rads you’ll have them all chasing you with pitchforks and burning stakes now 😀😀
Goodness me why all the hue and cry by some of you over a report in a paper and a statement from a “source”.
Antonio move to Chelsea are you kidding me.Why would they want him??
He is a crowd favourite with us but he is no twinkle toes or golden balls.Some of his skill sets are no more than average and basic.Im convinced half the time he hasnt a clue how to control the ball lol
Why would they want him? straight swap for moses.
crowd favourite – yeah that notion worked well with payet.
no talent – yet somehow still our most effective player, worrying!
Did i say he had no talent mouthy??
I think it is no secret that his skill levels are not the best with the ball.
Why would Chelsea swap for Moses when he has been so good for them this year!!
For the record i think Antonio is fantastic and an absolute breath of fresh air and yes he is a crowd favourite what does that have to do with Payet.Though i feel i am wasting my time with you as you are clearly intent on arguing about anything and everything people say.
I think saying half the time he hasn’t a clue how to control the ball is tantamount to saying he has no talent, or at least very little. Control is a pretty basic skill after all. He is better than moses all day long. Chelsea just make him look good because of the quality around him and the fact he needs to do v little defending with 3 quality CBs. I would have thought my crowd favourite comment was obvious but I’ll spell it out. Being a crowd favourite means nothing. Payet was a god but still did one when we started playing rubbish. You know as well as I do that there is no loyalty in the modern game. Anyway I’m enjoying this. Apologies for ranting at you guys and sorry if I don’t agree with you but that’s the point of these boards. I’d much rather be ranting at dumb and dumber and dame brady but you’re all I got!!
ha ha ha i do love a Friday giggle. a blurb of nonsense in the blogosphere of something that isn’t even true and west ham fans instead of reading and commenting on the story they are slagging each other off and arguing. fake news guys
So no story here then – umm I don’t think I believe that – Antonio is bound to get the hump when he’s the best player at the Club by a mile and new, lesser players are brought in on significantly more money.
Managing the pay hierarchy is difficult and must be done carefully – you want to attract players to your Club but you have to keep your existing players happy, it’s a balancing act that’s difficult to control – and it looks like West Ham have fallen down on the job.
Antonio is one of the few players we have who is attractive to other Club’s and we have to keep him onside – pay him what he’s worth!
Lol wtf is it about articles in papers involving our players.Anything else we all just write off as media shyte but when it comes to one of out team it all of a sudden must be factual 😁
I saw Ant in an interview a couple of days ago and he looked happy,cheerful and talking about next season.He certainly didn’t look like a man with the right raging hump about everything 😁😁
If this story is true and I think it is a big IF then it sounds like agent talk. Whilst Antonio is becoming a major asset, he is still a work in progress and my worry this year is that he is getting a bit full of himself.
The England call up was in part to blame but I have noticed more and more that he is looking to score the wonder goal at times instead of making the simple pass.
Yes he has been one of our better players and has been utiliised in a lot of positions but he is not a super star and still has a lot to learn. Yes his pace is electric but sometimes his control and shooting let him down.
He is our top scorer, but put in perspective that has not been too difficult given the paucity of everyone else.
In part, he is supposed to be a creator and the number of goals he has chippoed in with is in line with that role.
What we have been missing is the top gun to finish things off.
At this stage of his career , doubling his wages so soon into a contract says a lot and if he does even better next season, there is no reason why he shouldn’t got more then.
So the onus on him is to get even better whilst honouring the commitment he happily signed up to a while ago.