Michail Antonio joins Al-Sailiya after car crash recovery and contract stalemate

Michail Antonio has signed for Qatari side Al-Sailiya on a free transfer on Monday, marking his first club move since undergoing surgery following a serious car accident.

The 35-year-old forward, West Ham United’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer, was unveiled by Al-Sailiya on Monday.

The club confirmed the deal on social media, sharing a photograph of the Jamaican international in their shirt alongside a compilation of his goals and training highlights. 

The length and financial terms of the contract have not been disclosed.

Antonio admitted that pride initially prevented him from attending trial sessions to secure a new deal.

“My agent kept calling clubs, and the same thing happened – clubs wanted me to train first,” he said.

“With the ego I had, I said, ‘I’m not coming to train. You’ve seen me play with Jamaica, you’ve seen my past 10 years. I shouldn’t have to train to get a contract.’”

However, he eventually accepted he needed to prove his fitness after clubs insisted on seeing him in action.

Antonio left West Ham in August after the club opted not to renew his contract. He had not featured in club football since December 2024, when his car struck a tree as he drove home from training. The crash caused multiple fractures to his thigh, requiring surgery and more than three weeks in hospital.

He returned to action in June 2025 as a late substitute for Jamaica in their 1-0 Gold Cup defeat by Guatemala.

Antonio joined West Ham in 2015, making 323 appearances and scoring 83 goals in all competitions, including a club-record 68 in the Premier League.