Michail Antonio has reached an agreement to join Qatari Stars League outfit Al-Sailiya on a short-term contract.
It ends his 14-month absence from club football following a devastating road accident.
The 35-year-old former West Ham forward will feature in the club’s final six fixtures of the campaign, which concludes in April.
Official confirmation of the transfer is anticipated within the coming days.
Antonio sustained fractures to his leg in four separate locations during the collision in December 2024.
He crashed his £260,000 Ferrari FF, which struck trees near Theydon Bois in Epping, Essex.
The move represents a significant milestone in his remarkable recovery from injuries that threatened his career.
During his time at West Ham, Antonio amassed 323 appearances and found the net 83 times before his contract expired last summer.
Michail Antonio has reached an agreement to join Qatari Stars League outfit Al-Sailiya on a short-term contract
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The Hammers opted not to renew his deal following the accident, though he did make a brief return to action with the club’s under-21 side, netting twice in his first match back.
Since departing the east London club, the striker has been working to regain fitness at several Championship outfits, including training spells with Brentford, Leicester and Charlton.
Despite these efforts and discussions with multiple clubs, no permanent arrangement materialised until the Qatari side came calling.
Charlton had been in advanced discussions with Antonio regarding a pay-as-you-play arrangement, but the Championship club paused proceedings following a medical examination.
The 35-year-old former West Ham forward will feature in the club’s final six fixtures of the campaign, which concludes in April
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GETTY
It was during this period of hesitation that Al-Sailiya made their move for the experienced striker.
Leicester had also come close to securing his services earlier in the year, but those negotiations collapsed when Antonio suffered a hamstring injury while training with the Foxes.
Portsmouth boss John Mousinho revealed he had also contemplated bringing the forward to Fratton Park.
Brentford held separate talks with Antonio about a potential return to the Premier League, though those discussions similarly failed to produce an agreement.
Michail Antonio underwent surgery after a horror car crash
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ReutersAntonio’s path back to competitive football began with three substitute appearances for Jamaica at June’s Concacaf Gold Cup, his first matches since the horrific incident.
In an interview with the BBC in March, the forward described being “close to dying” after the crash and spoke of being granted “another chance at life”.
Following his release from West Ham, Antonio took up a punditry role and was confirmed as part of TNT Sports’ coverage for the 2025/26 season.
His new club currently occupy ninth position in the Qatari top flight, sitting four points clear of the relegation places, with former Everton defender Mason Holgate among their squad.
