Leeds United and Celtic are among the clubs interested in signing Michail Antonio this summer, with the striker open to leaving West Ham.
The 33-year-old joined the Hammers in 2015, and he has been a key player for the Londoners over the years, which includes the previous campaign, where Antonio helped West Ham to a memorable Europa Conference League win.
Despite Gianluca Scamacca’s departure, which would leave Antonio and Danny Ings as the senior strikers at West Ham, there are doubts over the future of the player, with David Moyes expected to bring in at least one number nine this summer.
And, according to Football Transfers, Antonio could be on the move, with the update claiming that Celtic and Leeds are tracking the striker. As well as that, they state there is interest from Saudi Arabia, whilst other reports have claimed Wolves are monitoring the experienced target man.
Crucially, it’s thought that Antonio is open to a move, as he looks for a new challenge at this stage of his career. Plus, West Ham will be open to a sale as Antonio enters the final year of his contract.
Do Leeds United need to sign Michail Antonio?
There’s no denying that Leeds need a natural striker. Rodrigo Moreno, the top scorer from last season, has already left Elland Road, leaving Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter as the options up top, but both are currently out injured.
However, it’s unclear whether Rutter will be able to play as the number nine, whilst Bamford’s form has dropped off and his fitness issues are a concern.
Therefore, a new striker will be one of the priorities for Daniel Farke ahead of the deadline. So, bringing in Antonio, who has done well in the Premier League over the years, would appear to be a smart bit of business.
How much would Michail Antonio cost?
As mentioned, with his deal expiring in 12 months time, West Ham aren’t going to ask for a big fee, and the report states that ‘a small fee will be required’, which won’t be a problem for Leeds if they pursue this deal.
But, the wages might be. Antonio will be on a hefty salary at the London Stadium, and it’s unlikely that Leeds will be able to match Premier League wages.
Having said that, the same probably applies to Celtic, so if Antonio is open to moving but staying in the UK, he would surely recognise that he has to take a lower basic wage, but a longer contract may make it worthwhile.
It still seems as though there’s a lot of work to do at Leeds over the coming weeks, both in terms of incomings and outgoings.
Farke has made it clear he wants to strengthen various areas of the squad, and whilst there were positives from the opening day comeback draw against Cardiff, it also highlighted that certain areas need to be addressed quickly.
Leeds are back in action on Wednesday at home to Shrewsbury in the League Cup, before Farke’s men travel to take on Birmingham this weekend.
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