West Ham manager Graham Potter has confirmed that long-serving forward Michail Antonio is leaving the club following the expiry of his contract.
Antonio, 35, departs as West Ham’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League with 68 goals in 323 appearances. His departure comes as the club continues to reshape its squad under Potter, who confirmed the striker is not part of his plans for the upcoming season.
“Will he be part of the squad this season? No,” Potter said bluntly when asked about Antonio’s status ahead of West Ham’s pre-season friendly against Bournemouth in the United States.
Antonio had been pushing to revive his career after suffering a broken leg in a car crash last December. Despite his age and recent injury setback, the Jamaica international has stated that he still believes he can contribute at the highest level.
West Ham recently signed Callum Wilson on a free transfer following his departure from Newcastle, a move that further underlined the club’s decision to move on from Antonio.
Meanwhile, Potter offered a more optimistic update on Lucas Paqueta, who has been cleared of spot-fixing allegations after a lengthy investigation. The Brazilian midfielder had faced scrutiny over alleged intentional bookings to manipulate betting markets, which threatened to derail a potential transfer to Manchester City last year.
“You never know for sure because anything can happen in the window with anybody,” Potter said. “But the news is incredibly positive. If it had gone the other way, there would have been a whole different conversation.”
“Lucas is happy and committed. He’s a big personality in the dressing room and a hugely important player for us. We love having him here, and now the focus is on helping him enjoy his football again.”
Paqueta’s exoneration marks a significant turning point in what Potter described as a “really tough period” for the 26-year-old.
“It’s a credit to Lucas, his family, and everyone who stood by him. He’s shown great strength and resilience to come through that situation.”
With Antonio’s departure and Paqueta’s future seemingly settled, West Ham now look ahead to a new chapter under Potter’s leadership.
