CHAIRMAN: DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: PROF. KHALID MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

Sports / Qatar Sport

Ex-West Ham striker Antonio set to join Al Sailiya: Reports

Published: 26 Feb 2026 - 11:53 pm | Last Updated: 26 Feb 2026 - 11:55 pm
Peninsula

The Peninsula

Doha: Former West Ham United striker Michail Antonio is set to resume his club career after agreeing to join Qatar Stars League side Al Sailiya on a short-term deal, according to a report by BBC.

The 35-year-old is expected to sign until the end of the current season, with Al Sailiya, who are ninth in the QSL, have six matches remaining in the season.
BBC reported confirmation of the move is anticipated in the coming days.

Antonio has been without a club since leaving West Ham United last year and has not featured in competitive English football since surviving a near-fatal car crash in December 2024 that resulted in multiple leg fractures.

The Jamaica international had recently been training with Charlton Athletic and held exploratory discussions over a potential pay-as-you-play contract. 

However, the striker has opted for a move to Qatar as he continues his return to full fitness.

Talks were also held with Premier League clubs Brentford and Leicester City, while Portsmouth manager John Mousinho confirmed he had considered signing the experienced forward, though no agreement materialised.

Antonio briefly returned to international action with Jamaica at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, marking his first competitive appearances following the accident. 

In an interview with BBC Sport earlier this year, Antonio revealed he felt he was “close to dying” after the crash in Essex and described his recovery as being given “another chance at life”.

The powerful striker remains West Ham United’s all-time leading Premier League scorer, netting 68 top-flight goals as part of an 83-goal tally across 323 appearances during a decade-long spell with the London club.

Having rebuilt his fitness over recent months, Antonio now looks set to continue his career in the QSL, League, taking the next step in a remarkable comeback following one of the most serious setbacks of his career.