West Ham star Michail Antonio is a spent force but let’s live in the real world over Wolves move rumours doing the rounds.
West Ham travel to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in a huge six-pointer down at the bottom of the Premier League this weekend.
The Hammers are only outside the relegation zone by virtue of goal difference and – ironically – Aston Villa’s equaliser against Wolves the last time out.
With the January transfer window open, there has been renewed speculation ahead of the game that Craig Dawson could be set for the move to Molineux he came close to completing in the summer.
As most Hammers fans will be aware, Dawson wants to move to a club further north for family reasons.
Reports claim that if West Ham can sign a replacement, Dawson may be allowed to join Wolves this month.
That in itself would be something of a controversial move given the precarious position West Ham and Wolves find themselves in.
Strengthening a direct relegation rival who are – for the time being at least – below West Ham in the table is a risky move.
Now it appears new Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui also wants Hammers striker Michail Antonio too (talkSPORT).
West Ham star Antonio is a spent force but let’s live in the real world over these Wolves move rumours.
The Hammers are seriously struggling to score goals this season with just 15 in 18 games.
Antonio has been a spent force for over a year now. He has been an amazing servant for West Ham and will go down in history for his many memorable goals and breaking Paolo Di Canio’s Premier League scoring record.
But there is no hiding the fact he is not the explosive nuisance who gave defences a torrid time for a couple of season after being converted to a striker by David Moyes.
Antonio has absolutely maximised his career to his credit, playing up from non league to becoming West Ham’s number nine.
He turns 33 in a couple of months and is in the twilight of his career.
Ex Sevilla boss Lopetegui was reportedly impressed by Antonio when he faced West Ham with the Spanish outfit in the Europa League last 16 last season.
Antonio was at his brilliant best in that memorable home leg but has not hit those heights since.
That being said West Ham simply cannot allow him to join a relegation rival such as Wolves this month.
Imagine Antonio joined Wolves and helped them finish above the Hammers and condemn Moyes’ side to the drop.
It would be one of the most ridiculous decisions in the modern history of West Ham – and there have been a few of those.
Even if West Ham were able to sign another striker this month, allowing Antonio to join a direct rival just is not an option.
And knowing him, he will still have one more chapter to write in his Hammers story before the season is out.