Irons issue a hands off our midfielder message

Michail Antonio’s West Ham future looks assured through the winter and beyond next summer after the club issues a hands off message.

The former Hammer of the Year and one time runner-up to Dimitri Payet has made his position clear at the club claiming in a recent interview that he is desperate to make his mark in the first team regularly again.

And he was given a major boost after the defeat by Manchester City when manager Manuel Pellegrini declared that he was certain his and Marko Arnautovic’s power and pace could trouble the league leaders, not the kind of talk one hears from a manager preparing to get rid!

Those words – along with Antonio’s performance during the game which was the best many had seen for some time – has convinced insiders at the club that the versatile attacking midfielder is very much a part of, and will remain, a part of the manager’s plans despite regular bulletins that Palace want him.

Talking to ClaretandHugh earlier this evening on the phone our senior source said: “The manager wants to add to the squad this winter, not sell players.

“That has always been his thinking and Michail has taken time to recover fitness after a long injury problem. He’s looking much better now and it’s only the media linking him with a move – nobody inside the club.”