Michail Antonio has joined Al-Sailiya in Qatar after a 15-month absence from club football following a near-fatal car crash in December 2024. The 35-year-old striker, who broke his femur in four places, says he had to 'swallow his ego' to rebuild his career after English clubs hesitated to sign him.

Antonio's crash during Storm Darragh left him with multiple leg fractures, and he returned only with three substitute appearances for Jamaica in June. Despite being West Ham's all-time Premier League top scorer with 68 goals in 323 games, he says former manager Graham Potter didn't want him back. He trained with Brentford and Leicester City but deals collapsed when he suffered a calf tear.

The two-month contract with Al-Sailiya gives Antonio a chance to prove his fitness and potentially revive his Premier League career. He says the move came together last Monday after a call from Jamaica teammate Mason Holgate, who plays for the Qatari club. Antonio, who still has 'so much love' for West Ham, says he's focused on staying fit and scoring goals rather than looking too far ahead.